The Widow and the Wastrel by Janet Dailey Read Free Book Online

animosity in the air since Jed's return was beginning to affect her own outlook.
    "I won't forget," she promised, and walked from the room.
    It was nearly noon when Elizabeth paused beside the store-front. The sign above the canopy read Shaw's Men's Clothing. She wished she hadn't left the cold lunch for Rebecca and Amy before leaving this morning. She would have welcomed an excuse to postpone this errand. Outside a few Christmas gifts for her father-in-law, she had never purchased any clothing for men. During her short marriage, Jeremy had always preferred to choose his own.
    Nervously she ran her fingers along the scalloped neckline of her white sundress, Squaring her shoulders in determination, she walked to the door. A bell tingled above the door to announce her entrance.
    The balding head of Fred Shaw, the owner, turned away from the customer he was helping to glance toward the door, and immediately he waved to his other male clerk to take his place as he excused himself to walk toward Elizabeth.
    It flashed through her mind that this was usually the case. The owners or managers of the various stores in Carrelville invariably were the ones who waited on her, sometimes even letting other customers wait. It struck her suddenly as being very unfair.
    "Good morning, Mrs. Carrel," he greeted her. A wide, professional smile spread across his face while his eyes crinkled at the corners behind steel-rimmed glasses. "It's going to be another hot one today, isn't it?"
    "Yes, it is," Elizabeth agreed, wondering if her vague embarrassment was revealed in her cheeks. "If you're busy, Mr. Shaw, I don't mind waiting a few minutes."
    "Not at all, not at all," he assured her quickly. "I'll bet I can guess why you've called. I was just saying to my wife last night that we hadn't got around to buying tickets for your dinner. She suggested that I get a couple of extra so we can take our daughter and her husband along."
    "That's very generous of you, Mr. Shaw, but actually," her smile faltered slightly, "I stopped by to purchase a few items. Of course, I'll gladly sell you the tickets."
    Elizabeth knew that he was undoubtedly curious about who she was buying clothes for, but he didn't comment until the money and tickets had been exchanged.
    "Now, what may I show you?" he asked, Elizabeth took the list from her purse and handed it to him. "This is almost a complete wardrobe." He peered at her over the top of his glasses. "Is the—er—rumor true that young Jed has come home?"
    "Yes, Jed is back," she admitted stiffly.
    "For good?" Then as if he thought the question was too personal, Fred Shaw shrugged it aside. "I suppose with Jed it's impossible to be certain," He led her toward a rack of expensive dress suits. "Craig Landers said that he thought he'd recognized Jed at the airport yesterday. The engine of Craig's small plane was being overhauled. That's why he was out there. Jed flew in, didn't he?"
    Since Elizabeth hadn't asked, she could only assume that was so. "I believe he did."
    "This is a nice one," he suggested, removing a suit from the rack for her to examine. "Craig mentioned that Jed looked a little worse from wear. Has he been ill?"
    "Not that he mentioned." Elizabeth guessed it was a reference to Jed's untidy appearance. "Of course, he'd had a long journey. He was quite tired when he arrived at the house."
    "Where has he been? I heard once that he was on some South Pacific island."
    She fingered the material of a dark brown suit. "He traveled a good deal," she replied, remembering that the three letters had been postmarked at different places.
    "What's he been doing all this time?"
    That was another question that Elizabeth hadn't thought to ask him. "Various things," she hedged.
    "Jed never did seem the type to settle down to one thing. Never seemed the type to settle down at all." Fred Shaw laughed as though he had made a joke. "You probably never got to meet him. I think he'd already left by the time you became engaged to