Free Foxfire Light by Janet Dailey

“Good afternoon.” Again there was a surface pleasantness that didn’t truly welcome.
    â€œI’m Joanna Morgan. We met yesterday in your shop,” she reminded the woman of their previous introduction.
    â€œYes, of course. How are you, Miss Morgan?” The polite inquiry was just that and nothing more.
    â€œFine, thank you.” The less welcome she was made to feel, the more determined Joanna became to stay. “The rest of the tables are full. Would you mind if I sat with you?”
    Without waiting for an invitation, Joanna deposited her packages on the empty seat of a chair and sat down in the one opposite the widow. Not even Rachel Parmelee could be so rude as to refuse the request and Joanna knew it.
    â€œPlease do,” the woman murmured after the fact.
    The waitress stopped at their table with a glass of water and a menu for Joanna and a diet plate consisting of tomato slices, cottage cheese, and a hamburger patty for Rachel Parmelee. The waitress left, promising to be back to take Joanna’s order. She opened the menu and pretended to study the bill of fare.
    â€œDo you eat here regularly, Mrs. Parmelee?” Joanna inquired as she continued to peruse the menu.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œI suppose it takes too much time to run home every day and fix lunch for yourself when you have a business to run,” she suggested.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œMyself, I never eat breakfast in the morning so by noontime, I’m starving,” Joanna chattered away, deliberately keeping the conversation going in opposition to the woman’s one-word answers. “Everything on the menu looks good. What would you recommend?”
    â€œAll restaurant food has begun to taste alike for me.” Rachel Parmelee disqualified herself as the person to ask. “The restaurant has a good reputation in the area so I’m sure anything you choose would be satisfactory.”
    â€œThat’s good to know.” Joanna contained a smug smile at the longer reply she had forced from the widow. The waitress returned to the table to take her order, diverting Joanna’s attention for the moment. “I’ll have the beef andnoodles, and a glass of iced tea, please.” When the waitress left, Joanna let a rueful smile touch her mouth. “I’ll probably regret eating so much later on when I start trying on clothes again.”
    â€œReally?” Rachel murmured, displaying little interest.
    â€œYes. It’s been a long time since I’ve been on a shopping spree. I’m really enjoying it,” she explained. “Reece decided he’d rather stay at the cabin than follow me around while I shop.”
    â€œI’m sure.”
    Joanna couldn’t help noticing the way the widow seemed to freeze up when she mentioned Reece’s name. “The stores here seem to carry a quality brand of clothes. Now I know why you always look so well dressed. Where do you shop locally?” Joanna knew few members of her own sex who were not willing to talk about clothes.
    â€œSeveral places. I don’t patronize any one store. As a rule, I make my own,” Rachel stated, removing herself from any discussion about the relative merits of one shop over another.
    â€œAs busy as you are, I’m surprised you find the time to sew,” Joanna murmured dryly.
    â€œAfter a long day, it helps me to relax although the bulk of my sewing I do in the winter when business is slower,” she admitted.
    Joanna ran an appraising eye over the smartly tailored suit of cool mint seersucker. “That’s an attractive outfit you’re wearing. Did you make it?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWith a business to run, I don’t imagine you have a chance to go out much—socially.” She surmised the reason Rachel had turned down Reece’s invitations.
    â€œNo. It keeps me very busy.” Again there was a stiffness in the reply. “I don’t mind it a bit. I