Read Online Sowing Poison by Janet Kellough - Free Book Online Page A

descriptions or drawings to guide her. Actually being able to examine a stylish outfit firsthand would help her immeasurably — she would be able to see how the cloth was cut and inspect the details of how it was assembled.
    When Clementine first entered the store, she had very graciously removed her cloak and hat and allowed Meribeth to look them over carefully while she made a show of inspecting the bolts of cloth and spools of lace on offer. As far as Clementine was concerned, these were of poor quality. Eventually she had purchased a small packet of pins, just for the sake of buying something, but by then she had listened to a full half-hour of the dressmaker’s prattle.
    She had been able to formulate a very clear picture of the village just by listening. She knew not only who was angry with whom, which village men were drunks, and which had an eye for the girls, but also who had suffered a loss, who was grieving, who was expecting a child. The next day she returned with a magazine, a newer one than Meribeth had seen, that had a number of drawings of the necklines currently fashionable for evening wear in New York. From then on, it seemed natural and easy to drop in every day.
    Clementine knew that she had caused a sensation in Wellington and that the women remarked on her fashionable clothes, while the men remarked on her. It was not difficult to impress these villagers, she thought, stuck as they were in such a backwater place. She also knew that her regular appearances at the dry goods store had elevated Meribeth’s status by the mere fact of association, and some of the village women who had previously not frequented the store, now began dropping by in the afternoon just on the off-chance that they might get a peek at Mrs. Elliott’s clothes. Mr. Scully was delighted; for it meant that each of these women could be counted on to purchase at least some small item. And each time, in the course of conversation, they would impart a bit of news that Meribeth would happily repeat to anyone who would listen.
    Until now, Clementine had simply let the little dressmaker chatter away, taking the information as it came, tedious though that had been. Now she judged that it was time to start directing the conversation into specific areas of interest. She took a deep breath, mounted the steps, and opened the door.
    Mr. Scully beamed when he saw her. “Mrs. Elliott! How grand to see you. And how are we today?”
    â€œGood day, Mr. Scully, I hope things are well with you.”
    â€œNever better, never better,” he replied, bowing slightly as he did so. “And what could we do for you this afternoon?”
    She had no chance to answer as Meribeth bustled over from her corner.
    â€œMrs. Elliott, how wonderful to see you,” she said. “My goodness me, I’ve just started the rosettes on Bella MacDonald’s bodice. You’re not in such a hurry that you couldn’t take a look at them for me, are you?”
    â€œWell.” Clementine made a show of hesitation, then began peeling off her gloves. “Perhaps I could take a quick look.”
    Meribeth was full of the usual inconsequential details of village life. Sarah Bowerman was still resting, apparently, after her fall on the ice, but it looked as though it had done her unborn child no harm. The Presbyterians had still not collected enough money to begin building a church, in spite of a concerted subscription drive. The Carrs were still struggling after the death of Mr. Carr, although Martin was working at the sawmill and taking his entire pay home to his mother.
    â€œI hear there is great concern about the missing ship,” Clementine said when the dressmaker stopped to draw a breath.
    â€œOh, my goodness, that’s a terrible thing! We can only hope they’ll turn up safe and sound. It’s happened before, you know, a ship caught in a storm and presumed lost, and then some time later you find out that everything