Calamity Town Read Online Free Page A

incidentally—or don’t you?’
    â€˜What now?’
    â€˜You told Mr Pettigrew that you’re a famous writer—’
    â€˜Mr Pettigrew supplied the adjective “famous” all by himself.’
    â€˜You’ve also said you don’t write under the name Ellery Smith, that you use a pseudonym…but you didn’t tell anyone which pseudonym.’
    â€˜Lord, no!’
    â€˜So people are saying that maybe you aren’t a famous author after all,’ murmured Pat. ‘Nice town, huh?’
    â€˜Which people?’
    â€˜People.’
    â€˜Do you think I’m a fraud?’
    â€˜Never mind what I think,’ retorted Pat. ‘But you should know there’s been a run on the Authors’ Photograph File at the Carnegie Library, and Miss Aikin reports you’re simply not there.’
    â€˜Pish,’ said Ellery. ‘And a couple of tushes. I’m just not famous enough.’
    â€˜That’s what I told her. Mother was furious at the very thought, but I said: “Muth, how do we know?” and do you know—poor Mother didn’t sleep a wink all night?’
    They laughed together. Then Ellery said: ‘Which reminds me. Why haven’t I met your sister Nora? Isn’t she well?’
    He was appalled by the way Pat stopped laughing at mention of her sister’s name. ‘Nora?’ repeated Pat in a perfectly flat voice, a voice that told nothing at all. ‘Why, Nora’s all right. Let’s call it a morning, Mr Smith.’
    That night Hermione officially unveiled her new treasure. The list was intime . Just Judge and Clarice Martin, Doc Willoughby, Carter Bradford, Tabitha Wright, John F.’s only living sister—Tabitha was the ‘stiff-necked’ Wright who had never quite ‘accepted’ Hermione Bluefield—and editor-publisher Frank Lloyd of the Record . Lloyd was talking politics with Carter Bradford; but both men merely pretended to be interested in each other. Carter was hurling poisonous looks at Pat and Ellery in the ‘love seat’ by the Italian fireplace; while Lloyd, a brown bear of a man, kept glancing restlessly at the staircase in the foyer.
    â€˜Frank had a crush on Nora before Jim…He’s still crazy about her,’ explained Pat. ‘When Jim Haight came along and Nora fell for him, Frank took the whole thing pretty badly.’ Ellery inspected the mountainous newspaper editor from across the room and inwardly agreed that Frank Lloyd would make a dangerous adversary. There was iron in those deep-sunk green eyes. ‘And when Jim walked out on Nora, Frank said that—’
    â€˜Yes?’
    â€˜Never mind what Frank said,’ Pat jumped up. ‘I’m talking too much.’ And she rustled towards Mr Bradford to break another little piece off his heart. Pat was wearing a blue taffeta dinner gown that swished faintly as she moved.
    â€˜Milo, this is the Ellery Smith,’ said Hermy proudly, coming over with big, lumbering Doc Willoughby in tow.
    â€˜Don’t know whether you’re a good influence or not, Mr Smith,’ chuckled Doc. ‘I just came from another confinement at the Jacquards’. Those Canucks! Triplets this time. Only difference between me and Dr Dafoe is that no lady in Wright County’s been considerate enough to bear more than four at one time. Like our town?’
    â€˜I’ve fallen in love with it, Dr Willoughby’
    â€˜It’s a good town. Hermy, where’s my drink?’
    â€˜If you’re broad-minded,’ snorted Judge Martin, strolling up with Clarice hanging—heavily—on his arm. Judge Martin was a gaunt little man with sleepy eyes and a dry manner. He reminded Ellery of Arthur Train’s Mr Tutt.
    â€˜Eli Martin!’ cried Clarice. ‘Mr Smith, you just ignore this husband of mine. He’s miserable about having to wear his dinner jacket and he’ll take it out on you