The Golden Room Read online

  'Come in!' Dr Holmes called out.

  Minna Everleigh entered, glanced at Karen, and then held her gaze on Dr Holmes.

  'Did you complete your examination?' Minna inquired.

  'You are right on time,' said Holmes, picking up his bag. 'I gave Karen a thorough examination. She's in perfect condition. Healthy and sound. You need have no concern on her behalf.'

  Minna relaxed her shoulders. 'That's a relief. Thanks a lot, Doctor.'

  'It was a pleasure,' said Dr Holmes. He winked at Karen. 'I enjoyed being with you. I'm pleased you are well.'

  'Thank you,' Karen mumbled weakly.

  They both watched a cheerful Dr Holmes depart.

  Once the bedroom door had closed, Minna gestured Karen to a chair and sat down across from her.

  'You have about an hour before your first customer arrives,' said Minna. 'Before that happens, I want to discuss your deportment here. The key to everything in this house is to remember you are a desirable young lady, not just some floozy off the street. If you want to remain an Everleigh girl, you must, when with a visitor, always be polite, be patient, and forget what you are here for.'

  Minna took out a cigarette and lit it.

  'Gentlemen who come here are gentlemen only when properly introduced,' Minna resumed. 'We shall see that each girl is correctly presented to each guest. In the Everleigh Club, there is no lining up for selection, as is the practice in other brothels. There shall be no cry from Aida or myself, "Into the parlour, girls," when guests arrive. I'll personally accompany each man up to your boudoir and formally introduce you. After that, you'll be on your own. On other occasions, when there is more leisure, I'll request that you dress in your most becoming finery and come downstairs first to amuse our guests in a parlour or at supper. Above all, the one thing I ask is that you be attentive to your callers' needs. Remember one thing. The Everleigh Club has not time for the rough

  element, the clerk on a holiday, or a person without a chequebook. We have time only for gentlemen.'

  Minna's cigarette had gone out and she lit it again.

  'It is going to be difficult for you at first, I know, no matter how much experience you've had previously. Don't rush anyone and don't consider rolling them. We will permit no monkeyshines, no knockout drops, no robberies, no crudity of any kind whatsoever. Our task will be to supply the clients. Your task will be to amuse them in a way that they've never been amused before. Give, but give interestingly and with mystery. Karen, I want you to be proud you are in the Ever-leigh Club. An hour from now, after I introduce you to your first client, you'll know you belong here.'

  Throughout this recital, and especially Minna's last reminder that shortly she would be alone with a strange man, Karen had been quivering with fright. Soon, she would be cornered by a customer and expected to perform as a prostitute. There was plenty of verbal evidence, from Minna, that the Everleigh Club was still a brothel, but Karen did not possess the substantial evidence that would enable the mayor to shut the place down. The real evidence would come when a paying guest would strip off his clothes and get into bed with her. The thought was horrifying.

  Karen hardly listened as Minna continued to speak. 'In addition to what I've told you, there are a few minor things you should know about your conduct in the Club. One of these is that -'

  Minna was interrupted by a sharp rapping on the door. The door opened and Aida came in, carrying a note, her countenance ashen.

  'Minna, I've got to speak to you at once,' Aida began. 'It's urgent.'

  'Can't it wait a few minutes?'

  'No,' said Aida firmly. 'Do you know who just walked in with their luggage and are waiting downstairs? Cathleen and Bruce!'

  'Who?' asked Minna, bewildered.

  'Cathleen and Bruce Lester, our niece and nephew from Kentucky. Charlie's children.'

  Minna was more bewildered than ever. 'What are they doing here?'

  'They've come to move in with us for two weeks. Until Cathleen is married to Harold T. Armbruster's son, Alan.'

  Minna was aghast. 'But they can't stay here -'

  'I know they can't – but they're going to. We knew about it some time ago. That the Armbrusters had been down in Kentucky, and their son had met Cathleen and fallen in love with her, and that they were going to be married. Their father asked if we'd stand up for the kids -'

  'I remember,' said Minna. 'I wrote Charlie a quick note saying, "Send them along." But I only meant we'd stand up for Cathleen at the wedding. God, I didn't mean for them to stay with us here.'

  Aida waved a letter in her hand. 'Their father sent this along with Cathleen. He wants his daughter and son to live with their wealthy socialite aunts in Chicago until the wedding. A hotel won't do. Even though their family in Kentucky is church mouse poor, they must give evidence of being well-off and respectable. All through the years we used to tell our brother we were rich socialites living in a huge mansion. Well, Charlie took us at our word, and now he's sent his children to stay in the mansion with their aunts. They're here now, Minna, and they can't be sent away. We have to live with this pretext for two weeks, until the wedding is over and Cathleen and Bruce are out of our hair. What should we do?'

  Minna stood between Aida and Karen, lost in thought.

  'We're trapped with our lie,' said Minna. 'We've got to play being their wealthy, respectable aunts, and we have to give them the hospitality of our mansion. Let me think -' She thought further. Then she addressed Aida. 'First things first. Have Edmund immediately post a sign on the front door announcing that our restaurant is open for business. A

  floor show will be provided for diners, but other services will be unavailable until further notice. The parlours themselves are closed for two weeks for remodelling. No men are to be permitted upstairs for the length of Cathleen and Bruce's stay.'

  'But our girls?'

  'They can remain as part of a restaurant floor show. Nothing more. Send two of them away on vacation and turn their bedrooms over to Cathleen and Bruce. Aida, you round up the girls at once and explain the situation. I want them to be sure there is not one word alluding to what they truly do here. They are dancers and singers entertaining supper guests – period. Do you have that straight? And get that sign on the front door.'

  'Can I tell the girls they'll be paid?'

  'We must pay them their usual income,' said Minna, 'no matter what the financial loss to ourselves. The main thing is to keep Cathleen and Bruce believing we are actually respected socialites and this is our fancy home. We'll tell them that we conduct a fashionable high-class restaurant to keep ourselves busy. Now off you go, at once. Gather the girls and tell them the truth and what we expect of them. I'll go down and greet Cathleen and Bruce.'

  Aida darted to the door and raced away.

  About to follow her from the room, Minna stopped, suddenly aware that Karen was in the boudoir. 'You heard it all, Karen, so you know what's going on. I know you expected your first customer to come to you in a little while. I'm sorry, but no man tonight or any night for two weeks. Get dressed, and come downstairs and join the other girls while Aida organizes you into some semblance of a floor show.' She held the doorknob. 'I am sorry about this turn of events, Karen. Even though you're new, you'll be well paid. You'll be better paid later. But for now, keep your chin up – and your bloomers too.'

  FIVE

  When Minna came down the stairs to the foyer, she saw the two of them waiting, suitcases beside them. Minna had not seen the pair since they were children, but she knew at once that these grown-ups were her niece and nephew, Cathleen and Bruce Lester.

  Approaching them, Minna saw that Cathleen looked as she herself had looked not many years ago. The girl was no taller than herself- meaning Cathleen was small, with blonde hair, luminous eyes, and a button nose set nicely in an innocent, smooth face. She was small-bosomed, slender, composed, not more than nineteen years old. The boy was older, probably twenty-two, with a shock of chestnut hair, brown eyes, pug nose, and a square jaw
. He was quite tall, maybe six feet, and trim but obviously muscular.

  'Cathleen!' Minna called out.

  The girl smiled nervously.

  Minna went straight to her and hugged her. 'I'm your Aunt Minna. How wonderful to see you at last and to have you in our home.'

  Disengaging herself from Cathleen, Minna moved to her nephew and embraced him too. 'Bruce, you've grown – I don't know how many feet – since I last saw you in Louisville. Welcome to Lester House.'

  'It's hospitable of you to have us in,' said Bruce.

  'And what a joy for us. Now, you two, come along with me,' said Minna, taking each by a hand. 'Don't worry about your bags. I'll have a servant take them to your rooms, but first we'll have a little talk in the parlour. I want to get better acquainted with both of you.'

  Minna led them into the Gold Room, which Minna described as her favourite parlour, and one that she had decorated entirely by herself.

  Entering the dazzling room, Cathleen held back for a moment, stunned by the glitter. 'It's – it's magnificent,' she whispered. 'That gold piano. I've never seen another like it.'

  'I had it made in Paris some years ago,' said Minna.

  Bruce went into the room more easily, less stunned than curious. 'Forgive me, Aunt Minna. Father told me you lived well, but I expected nothing like this.'

  'I wish your father could see our place for himself,' said Minna, 'but he's never been to Chicago in all the time we've lived here.'

  'You know he's not been ambulatory since his stroke,' said Bruce. 'Besides, he couldn't afford the trip.'

  'Well, I intend to rectify that in the near future,' said Minna, leading the pair to a gold sofa. 'Do sit down, and let me sit where I can face both of you.'

  After the two were seated, Minna settled easily across from them and resumed talking.

  'We've been expecting you,' said Minna, 'because Charles wrote some time ago that Cathleen was coming to Chicago to be married, and that you, Bruce, would chaperon her. I know that your father would like us to look after you and stand beside Cathleen at the wedding. Frankly, I did not know he wanted the two of you to stay with us instead of in a hotel. Aida and I are delighted, of course – but we hadn't been informed.'

  'If this is any inconvenience at all…' Cathleen began.

  'No, absolutely not,' Minna interrupted.

  'Better let me explain,' Bruce intervened, coming forward. 'Since we are family, I can be frank. Father's law practice is almost non-existent. He's been too ill to attend to it properly. Since Mother died and then his stroke, he seems to have lost all his spirit. We still have the old house, but we may have to sell that soon. In truth, Father is almost penniless. I work in a bank to help out. It was all he could do to gather money to

  send us up here for the wedding. But Pearl and Harold T. Armbruster don't know that. They set much store by appearances. To reassure them that we're a good family and to impress them, Father wrote you that note asking you to take us in.'

  Minna bobbed her head. 'Aida told me about it.'

  'Father felt that if we could stay with his sisters, and circulate high up on the social scale – and if we could live under conditions the Armbrusters would find acceptable – it would cause no doubt in their minds that Cathleen was eligible for marriage to their son. Actually, Alan is very much in love with Cathleen. He would have no reservations whatsoever. However, parents can be a different matter. The Armbrusters are impressed by Cathleen's attractiveness and grace. Father had sent her to private schools -'

  'Just as I had been educated,' said Minna. 'God knows that good manners count even more than money in the South.'

  'But not necessarily poverty,' said Bruce bluntly. 'I'm sorry to say this, but it's important to the Armbrusters that Cathleen be from a good family – meaning a well-to-do family.'

  'I understand,' said Minna. A frown flitted across her face as she considered the situation. She began to reconsider how to handle her niece and nephew to make the right impression on the Armbrusters. 'Tell me one thing – how did you happen to meet the Armbrusters?'

  Cathleen brightened and briefly lost some of her shyness. 'Mr Armbruster is a very rich man. He's a meat-packer.'

  'I've heard,' said Minna.

  'He's eager for social standing in Chicago, the kind that Armour and Swift already have. Since a horse-racing stable is one symbol of prestige in Chicago, Mr Armbruster considered establishing his own stable. That's why he came down to Louisville with his wife, Pearl, and his two children, Alan and Judith. He was planning to buy the finest horses in

  Kentucky. Someone sent him to Bruce, since Bruce has knowledge of the best horseflesh available. Bruce even has three horses of his own.'

  'They're not much,' Bruce confessed. 'Mr Armbruster wasn't interested, but I was able to guide him to other breeders.'

  'I'm sure he was grateful,' interrupted Minna.

  'Actually, one of my colts is exceptional – he's a three-year-old named Frontier. I spent much of what I earned as a bank clerk to enter Frontier in the American Derby in Chicago.'

  'Why bring Frontier all the way up here for the American Derby?' Minna asked. 'Why not enter him in the Kentucky Derby in your own state?'

  'For a good reason,' said Bruce. 'Money. The Kentucky Derby pays the winner under $5,000. The American Derby pays $25,000 – five times as much. Earning a large purse sure would help the family. Since then I've learned that Frontier just doesn't have the size and strength to do well in the American Derby. I had already arranged to have him shipped here. Now I hope to sell him off to raise some money.'

  'Let's hope you succeed,' said Minna. She addressed herself to Cathleen. 'What a romantic way to meet the right man.'

  'Yes, Aunt Minna. You'll adore him. He's nearly as tall as my brother. Darkly handsome. When we met, it was love at first sight for both of us.'

  'You saw each other often in Louisville?' asked Minna.

  'Almost every night for a month, but always with his parents,' said Cathleen. 'They liked me enough to allow Alan to propose. When the Armbrusters heard about my wealthy aunts in Chicago, they were highly pleased. The wedding is set for two weeks from now, at their home. Bruce and I just arrived this morning. First we found a stable for his horse, then we came right over.'

  'You did the right thing,' said Minna. 'You can have the run of the place, except for a lovely private restaurant we keep open for our friends.'

  'May I ask – is that where you made your money?' said Bruce.

  'Heavens, no. After we left Kentucky, we inherited a fairly decent sum of cash. We had good advice about investing it, and we doubled and redoubled our money. We bought this house and furnished it. It seemed a good idea to turn part of it into a restaurant, not only to take care of our overhead but as a means of entertaining our business friends. We also had parlours for cocktails and conversation. We even hired six women, singers and dancers we'd known in our stage days. They put on floor shows in return for room and board. Now, to get back to the Armbrusters -'

  'Oh, yes,' Cathleen said happily, 'Mr and Mrs Armbruster are eager to meet you and Aunt Aida before the wedding. I hope you have time for that.'

  'I do,' said Minna.

  'They're hoping we can all have lunch at their home the day after tomorrow.'

  'Aida and I will be happy to join you,' said Minna, rising. She gestured for Cathleen and Bruce to remain where they were. 'Just wait a little while until I can make arrangements to get you settled. We'll have a quiet supper in my study later. Right now there are a few things that require my attention.'

  Once she had left the Gold Room, Minna stopped a servant in the hall to ask if he had seen Edmund. She was told that Edmund was dusting in the library, and she went to find him.

  'Edmund,' she said. 'Do you know where my sister is?'

  'Yes, Miss Everleigh -'

  'There is to be no more mention of the Everleigh name,' Minna said sharply. 'Not while my relatives are here. We're Aida and Minna Lester for the next two weeks. You kn
ow the situation, don't you?'

  'Miss Aida told me to post a sign, and then she explained everything.'

  'Good. Where is Aida now?'

  'In the Japanese Room with all the girls, Miss Lester. She's giving them the same instructions she gave me.'

  'Thanks, Edmund. I better get there fast,'

  When Minna reached the Japanese Room, she paused to catch her breath, and then quietly opened the door and peered inside. Aida was the one who first met her eyes. Aida was seated on the carved teakwood chair on the dais beneath the yellow silk canopy. In a broad semi-circle were the girls of the Everleigh Club, seated on divans, chairs, and cushions, listening attentively as Aida spoke. The perfume fountain in the centre of the room was shut off.

  After nodding a welcome to Minna, Aida resumed speaking. 'Now that you've heard what is going on and how we are to proceed, let me sum it up for you so that there can be no mistakes.'

  Minna decided to intervene. She stepped into the Japanese Room and called out, 'Aida, may I break in with a few words?'

  'Of course.'

  Minna crossed the room and ascended the dais to stand beside Aida. She addressed her older sister. 'Aida, what we arranged so hastily has a few flaws. Now that I've spoken to Cathleen and Bruce, our niece and nephew, I have some afterthoughts, and would like to revise our plan.'

  'Whatever you say,' said Aida agreeably.

  Minna turned to face the small assemblage.

  'I'm sure Aida has told you of our original plan to keep all of you here during this crisis. Well, I don't think that will work. With so many girls here, we and our relatives would be at great risk should one of you suffer a slip of the tongue. It would be hard for Aida and myself to pretend that this is our personal home. Furthermore, it would be difficult to pretend that you are all a floor show, since most of you can't sing or dance at all. I have a compromise in mind.'

  She glanced at Aida, whose face registered only her usual gracious, slightly inscrutable expression. Minna turned to the girls once more.

  'We will keep the dining-room open. I have told our niece and nephew it is a room reserved for our wealthiest friends, a profitable enterprise that enables us to pay some of our overhead expenses. Cathleen and Bruce understand the dining-room is off limits to them. I wouldn't want them to wander in and hear from some drunken diner that this is actually a brothel.