Question

"I don't call that delicate. Stepping into a dead man's shoes in such haste." Please explain.​

Answer 1

At first mrs slater thought grandfather abel to be dead so she gave the new pairs of his slipper to her husband.

But when later discovered that G.F abel is alive in addition to when he asked about his slipper and found it on henry he asked it back. For this incident mrs jordan (mrs slater's sister) she commented "stepping into a dead man's shoes isn't delicate ".

Stepping in a dead man shoes is idiom meaning taking the place/responsibility of the dead person.