Meet Edgar Moretz

Edgar Moretz is one of the main characters in Cleared for Planting. He's eighteen when we meet him and has two older brothers and a younger sister. He has the reputation of being a tease, but he's never malicious with his teasing, and he has a serious side, too.    

 Edgar's family is of German decent. His grandfather came to the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina from Pennsylvania, while some of the family stayed there. Edgar's uncle has a grist mill at Meat Camp, to the northeast, but his father is a farmer. The family lives in a two room log cabin with a larder (pantry), but it seems spacious to Emma. She even likes Edgar's teasing and senses something special about him.    

Edgar helps Emma find answers to some of her questions about the Bible, and she accepts Christ as her Savior. Ironically, however, when trouble comes, Edgar is the one who wavers in his faith, while Emma stands strong.


See the excerpt below to read a portion of Cleared for Planting:

     "I'm fourteen," she answered, but please call me Emma. Emmaline is a mouthful."
     "It's a very pretty one, though," Martin said. 
     "Edgar looked at Francie and Christie then back at Emma. "Just like the girl," he said and gave her a quick wink. 
     Emma almost laughed out loud. What a tease! She looked over at Christie. If Christie's face hadn't been skinned from their fall, she bet Edgar wouldn't think Emma was the pretty one. Emma knew her brown hair was too dark to be called "blond," and her eyes were more gray than blue.
     Edgar was the most handsome of the three Moretz brothers, however. He had sandy brown hair, sparkling blue eyes, and you could just tell he enjoyed life. She'd better watch herself around this one. Her hand quivered as she reached for her water glass. What was wrong with her? She'd never acted like this before.

....

     Emma looked over at her older sister. Francie had the pretty feminine curves, but her face looked rather plain. Emma and Christie were more slender, but Christie had the pretty face. Where did that leave Emma? Somewhere in the middle, like always. She sighed.

     "I'm wondering what's going on in that pretty head of yours," Edgar said to her.

    "I'm just thinking about my sisters."

     "If they make you sigh like that, I'll trade you two brothers for them, if you want, but I'd rather you take me."

     Emma felt her face begin to heat up. She looked around, and the adults were all busy with their own conversations. "I'm not sure I could handle you," she said back.

     Edgar laughed easily. "Oh, I think you could handle me just fine. You'd have me wrapped around your little finger in no time."

     "Edgar quit your teasing." Mrs. Moretz had heard his last remark. "These are our guests, and they don't know us well enough for that."

     "Yes, Mama, but I was just trying to get to know them better."

     "Edgar, don't you talk back to your mother," Mr. Moretz told him.

     "No, sir. I didn't mean to sound like I was."

     "Enough said, son."

     "Yes, sir."

     He turned back to Emma. "I hope I didn't offend you, Emma. I only tease those I like."

     "I hope you'll tease me forever, then," Emma whispered. 

     Edgar raised his eyebrows, and then gave her a huge smile.

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