(1988) The Golden Room Read online

  Karen extended her hand to Alan, who rose reluctantly. He cast one wretched glance at his father, and then he trailed Karen out of the restaurant.

  As they walked slowly to the staircase, Karen said, ‘You look like you’re going to the guillotine. Is it your first time?’

  ‘First,’ Alan answered in a quavering voice.

  ‘It may be an ordeal,’ said Karen, ‘but it can be fun once you’re relaxed. I don’t think you’ll be sorry. Margo is very nice.’

  ‘I… I hope you’re right.’

  They reached the top of the staircase, and Karen guided him past the numerous doors.

  ‘Margo, Margo,’ murmured Karen to herself, ‘she’s in eight or nine. I’m sure it’s nine.’

  She opened the door partially and peeked in. ‘She must be in the bathroom. In fact, I can hear the water running. All right, Alan, you just go in alone. Take off all your clothes and sit on the bed. Soon as she comes out, she’ll tell you what to do.’

  ‘Okay,’ Alan swallowed.

  Karen shut the door tightly, and left for the downstairs, praying it went well for the poor kid.

  And that Bruce would never find out about this.

  In the boudoir, Alan stood helplessly, surveying the room and seeing nothing but the brass bed, with its thick mattress covered by a white cashmere blanket.

  As the sounds from the bathroom ceased, he realized that he could not just stand there fully clothed. With numbed fingers he began to shed his clothes and drop them in a heap, first his jacket, then his bow tie, then his shirt, next the shoes and socks, and finally his trousers. He was left standing in his sleeveless, one-piece union suit with its button fly partly fastened.

  Embarrassed to wait naked, he moved towards the bed, and was about to slip under the blanket, when he heard the knob of the bathroom door turn.

  Heart going like a triphammer, he turned towards the bathroom as its door opened and a small, attractive girl, lost in the dim light, appeared. She was loosely clad in a pure white peignoir and he could make out her legs, and then her lovely figure, even the dark patch between her legs. Momentarily breathless, his gaze went up to her breasts, fully evident beneath the thin garment, and then his gaze went up to her face.

  When he saw her face, he gasped audibly.

  This was no whore named Margo.

  This was Cathleen, his Cathleen Lester, the virgin he was engaged to marry in a matter of days.

  He jumped to his feet just as she realized that a young man was present in the room, almost undressed, and then she gasped too. ‘Alan!’ she exclaimed in a strangled voice.

  Momentarily stunned, he found his voice. ‘Cathleen! What are you doing here?’

  ‘What do you mean what am I doing here? I’m living here with my aunts in their home until our marriage.’ She stared at him. ‘The question is what are you doing here - and in my room?’

  ‘Cathleen, this isn’t your aunts’ home. This is a famous house of prostitution. It’s the Everleigh Club.’

  ‘You must be crazy. It isn’t. It can’t be. Where did you get the idea that this is a … ?’

  Alan broke in on her. ‘It is. It’s a brothel, a house of prostitution. It’s known everywhere. Whatever your aunts told you, they are running this place. They are madams.’

  ‘Don’t you dare say that -‘

  ‘I’m saying it because it’s true. Listen to me, Cathleen. For heaven’s sake, listen to me. My father decided I must have some experience in sex before our wedding night. It’s an old-fashioned idea. Take your son to a sporting house and make him learn what women are all about. The biggest brothel in Chicago is a house called the Everleigh Club, run by two sisters named Minna and Aida Everleigh - not Lester, but Everleigh. He brought me here against my will. I don’t want to be with any woman but you. But my father insisted. He dragged me here for dinner and drinks tonight - I mean, what would a restaurant be doing in a private home? - and then he sent me upstairs to consort with a prostitute named Margo. The person who escorted me sent me into the wrong room. Now do you understand?’

  Cathleen was pale, shaking her head. ‘I can’t believe it, I just can’t believe it. You mean my Aunt Minna and Aunt Aida are actually madams, and they’ve been lying all these years? My father sent us here in good faith, to stay with our aunts before the wedding. He doesn’t know …’

  ‘Nor does my father know about Minna and Aida. He must never find out that his future daughter-in-law has been living in a house of prostitution.’

  On her bare feet, Cathleen had moved closer to Alan. She said in a low voice, ‘Alan, it’s not important what your father thinks. To me, it’s only important what you think.’ She hesitated. ‘Because I’m here, surely you don’t think I’m a prostitute?’

  ‘Of course not!’ He shook his head vigorously. ‘I know who you are. I know you’re not working here.’

  ‘But maybe you’re not sure.’ She reached out and touched Alan’s chest. ‘Darling, you’ve got to be sure before we go ahead. You’ve got to know I’m not one of those girls. Everything that I’ve told you is true. I’m a virgin, Alan, and I can prove it.’

  With that, she unfastened her peignoir and let it fall to her feet. She faced him, utterly nude.

  ‘Let me prove it, Alan,’ she said, and then turned, walked to the bed, threw back the cover, and lay down.

  Dazzled by the sight of her, Alan swayed on his feet, choking. His eyes feasted on her body as she lay on the bed. He felt the swelling hardness in his crotch. Suddenly his thick penis came straight up and burst out of his underwear.

  He could see Cathleen’s eyes widen.

  For Alan, there was nothing more to hide or hold back, no longer a need for modesty.

  He ripped off his union suit and tossed it aside.

  Trembling with excitement, he tried to contain himself as he approached her.

  He settled on the bed and dropped down beside Cathleen, so close that their bare hips and thighs touched.

  Rising, his lips went to her firm nipples, kissing and licking them, then he was kissing her mouth. Their tongues met, and gradually her breathing heightened.

  He was lifting himself, coming down between her legs, as her own legs came up to encircle him.

  He was entering her, gradually entering her, slowly, with difficulty, as she moaned. ‘Oh, Alan, I love you.’

  ‘And I love you,’ he whispered.

  And through the joyful minutes that followed, their marriage was consummated without a wedding.

  Downstairs, in a corner of the restaurant, Edmund came upon Karen Grant.

  ‘Well,’ he inquired, ‘did you take care of young Armbruster?’

  ‘You mean did I take him up to Margo’s boudoir? I did. I put him into bedroom nine, and left him on his own with Margo. By now he knows the facts of life.’

  Edmund was blinking at Karen. ‘What did you say? You put him in room nine?’

  ‘That’s right. You told me to put him in room nine.’

  Edmund was shaken. ‘No, I didn’t. I told you to put him in room six. Margo’s in room six.’

  ‘Oh, no …’

  ‘Never mind,’ said Edmund harshly. ‘Do you know who’s in room nine? Stay here. I’ve got to get to Miss Minna at once!’

  Edmund whirled about, hastened through the restaurant, and raced for the Everleigh office.

  He flung open the door without knocking.

  Minna and Aida were on a sofa, chatting. Minna raised her head. ‘What is it? Did old Armbruster leave yet? I didn’t hear the Professor’s song.’

  Ignoring the question, Edmund entered the office, and propelled himself across the room to face the Everleigh sisters.

  ‘Miss Minna,’ he panted, ‘I have some terrible news. There’s been a terrible mistake. I just heard about it.’

  ‘What is it?’ Minna asked worriedly, rising.

  ‘Someone escorted Alan Armbruster upstairs to - to be entertained by Margo in bedroom six. There was a mistake. Alan was led into bedroom nine,
instead.’

  ‘Nine!’ Minna exclaimed, aghast. ‘That’s Cathleen’s private room. I don’t believe it! Are you sure?’

  ‘I’m positive, Miss Minna.’

  Minna’s hands went to her head. ‘Oh, my God, what a disaster. By now he knows Cathleen’s Aunt Minna and Aunt Aida own a whorehouse, and by now he must believe Cathleen is a prostitute in this house. It’s the worst thing that could have happened. I must put a stop to it -I must explain —’

  Aida was on her feet. ‘Minna, don’t go out there — Armbruster’s there -‘

  But Aida’s warning came too late. Minna had already dashed out of the office.

  To get to the entry hall quickly and up the staircase, Minna cut through the restaurant. She ran up an aisle, oblivious to several guests who tried to greet her as she raced past.

  She was approaching the far end of the restaurant when she came on a lone diner, a hefty man puffing on a cigar as he watched her. He narrowed his eyes, then stared at her.

  He threw down the cigar and leaped to his feet, stepping into the aisle to block her.

  ‘Miss Lester!’ he exclaimed. ‘Can this be Minna Lester? What in the devil are you doing in this house of assignation? What are you doing here?’

  She stopped in her tracks, confronted by his bulk. For seconds she was speechless. At last she spoke. ‘I own it,’ she said. There was simply not another thing to say.

  ‘You own it?’ Armbruster bellowed. ‘You own this whorehouse?’

  ‘I own it, my sister and I own it,’ she repeated. She tried for an explanation. ‘My brother in Kentucky doesn’t know a thing about it. That’s why he felt he could safely send Cathleen and Bruce to stay here before the wedding. I could never tell him. And Cathleen doesn’t know. We changed everything, almost everything, so she wouldn’t know. So, please …’

  ‘This is unthinkable!’ roared Armbruster, grabbing Minna by the arm. ‘Come on, I want to get my son out of this

  infamous Gomorrah!’

  He dragged Minna out of the restaurant, through the entry hall, towards the staircase landing.

  They both halted as they looked up in time to see Alan, fully clothed, a benign smile on his face as he descended.

  As he reached the foot of the stairs, Alan grinned at his father. ‘Thanks, Dad. You were right. I had a girl, and now I have enough experience for the wedding.’

  Armbruster let go of Minna and snatched his son by the arm. ‘Wedding, you say? What wedding? I’m not letting my son marry the niece of two whorehouse madams. It would destroy me in Chicago for ever, ruin everything I ever tried to build. Come on home!’ Armbruster wheeled to confront Minna. ‘As for you, don’t you dare to come near me or any of us. You’re not setting foot in my home again. There’ll be no wedding! The wedding is off!’

  With that, he pulled Alan away. Minna watched them go and then burst into tears.

  EIGHT

  Mayor Carter Harrison always came to his City Hall office at promptly nine o’clock in the morning.

  He was surprised, upon his arrival this morning, to see that there was already a visitor in his office. The visitor was Harold T. Armbruster, admitted half an hour earlier by the mayor’s administrative aide.

  ‘I hadn’t expected you,’ said Harrison, removing his hat, shaking hands, and sitting down across from the meat-packer. ‘What brings you here?’

  ‘Something that may be of use to you,’ said Armbruster.

  ‘Please go on.’

  ‘This morning my mind was on your campaign for mayor. That was the first time we met.’

  ‘I remember very well.’

  ‘What I remember is something else. My interest in you was based on your desire to expand our railroad system. But I recall you didn’t speak of that much when I heard you. You spoke of reform, of getting rid of the whorehouses in this city.’

  ‘Correct,’ said the mayor. ‘I am dedicated to fulfilling that pledge.’

  Armbruster nodded. ‘Until two days ago I knew only vaguely about the Everleigh Club. Now I know a good deal more. Mayor, why haven’t you closed the Everleigh Club?’

  The Mayor sighed. ‘Mr Armbruster, the legal fact is that I can’t move against it until I have evidence first-hand that it is operating as a whorehouse. The sisters have become more cautious about their activities. Thus far, it’s been impossible for me to prove the Club is presendy anything more than a restaurant.’

  Armbruster stood up. ‘Mr Mayor, I assure you, the Everleighs are still in the business of prostitution.’

  ‘You know for certain?’

  ‘For certain,’ said Armbruster. ‘They are in business and I can prove it. As you know, my son is getting married this week. I thought - repugnant as it was to me - it would be valuable to him to gain some experience with a woman before his marriage. Everyone I asked told me to take him to the Everleigh Club. So last night I did.’

  The mayor was fascinated. ‘You took your boy to the Everleigh Club?’

  ‘To let him have a woman.’

  ‘Did he have a woman there? Did you pay for it?’

  ‘He had a girl, by his own admission. He won’t give me any details, except to say he did have sexual intercourse. And yes, I paid for it. It was added to my dining bill, which is in my pocket.’

  The mayor was on his feet. Coming around his desk, he took Armbruster by the shoulders. ‘Am I hearing you right, Mr Armbruster? Are you telling me you have first-hand evidence that the Everleigh Club is — right now — operating as a house of prostitution?’

  ‘As a whorehouse, a real, working whorehouse.’

  The mayor’s excitement was growing. ‘You can prove it, testify to this?’

  ‘Definitely. That’s why I’m here. To side with you in your reform movement. Last night, after my son was sent upstairs to cohabit with one of those professional chippies, I learned by accident that the house is owned by Minna and Aida Everleigh, who have misrepresented themselves to me as socialites. They were to give the bride — their niece — away. I was shocked. I instantly called off the wedding. No son of mine is marrying into the family of whorehouse madams. The wedding is cancelled.’

  ‘I’m saddened to hear that, but the banquet… Will you still have the banquet for the prince of Prussia?’

  ‘The banquet is on. The wedding is off. And I’ll not be satisfied until the Everleighs are in jail and their establishment shut down for ever.’

  The mayor was beaming. ‘I need only your sworn testimony before my chief of police, Francis O’Neill, to accomplish that end.’

  Armbruster raised his right hand. ‘You have my promise that I’ll testify against the Everleighs and their Club immediately.’

  The mayor linked his arm inside Armbruster’s. ‘Let’s get you downstairs to the chief of police, swear you in, and take your deposition. Then I’ll be free to accomplish what I’ve been trying to accomplish all these weeks - bring an end to the careers of Minna and Aida Everleigh.’

  Minna had been sitting in the Gold Room in the early evening trying to distract herself from thoughts of the run-in with Harold T. Armbruster. She was reading the collected poems of Shelley when Edmund appeared in the doorway.

  ‘There you are, Miss Minna,’ Edmund said. ‘I’ve been looking everywhere for you. There’s someone here to see you.’

  ‘Without an appointment?’ Minna said, surprised. ‘Who is it?’

  ‘Chief of Police Francis O’Neill.’

  Minna put aside her book of poetry. ‘That doesn’t sound promising. All right, show him in.’

  Edmund disappeared, and a minute later reappeared to usher the corpulent chief of police into the Gold Room.

  Minna offered her hand as O’Neill waddled over to her.

  ‘It’s been a long time, Chief,’ she said, shaking his hand. She patted the sofa cushion beside her. ‘Please sit down.’

  With a wheeze, the chief of police took a seat next to her. ‘I’m sorry to come by so abruptly, Minna,’ he apologized. ‘But I had to.’

 
; ‘Why?’ asked Minna calmly.

  ‘I’m not here of my own free will, I assure you. I guess you know who sent me.’

  ‘Mr Armbruster, I presume.’

  O’Neill nodded. ‘And the mayor. Technically, Mayor Carter Harrison sent me at the instigation of Armbruster.’ The chief fiddled with the buttons of his uniform. ‘Minna, I heard about your niece’s wedding - that it’s off. I’m sorry.’

  ‘No loss,’ said Minna, ‘although we’ll miss Alan, who’s the best one in that family. Cathleen will manage without the Armbrusters. She’ll go back to Kentucky and find plenty of eligible men there.’

  ‘I’m sure she will, Minna.’

  ‘But you’re not here to discuss my niece,’ said Minna. ‘You have something else on your mind.’

  ‘That’s right, Minna.’

  ‘And it’s bad news.’

  Clearly unhappy, the chief of police jerked his head up and down. ‘That’s right.’

  Minna had known this chief, and others before him, for a long time. Usually, when they came by with bad news, that bad news was simple to define. It meant additional pay-offs, or higher pay-offs, to keep the Everleigh Club open. This visit, Minna knew, was more serious.

  ‘Go ahead,’ Minna prompted him. ‘Let me have the bad news. Has it got to do with the mayor’s reform campaign?’

  Chief of Police O’Neill gave a weary sigh. ‘Mayor Harrison has ordered me to shut down the Everleigh Club.’

  ‘That’s no surprise.’

  ‘For good, Minna.’

  Minna’s expression remained impassive. It was not unexpected news, but still, the finality of it was unexpected. She’d gotten out of scrapes like this constantly. She sensed that she would not be able to elude this one.

  ‘Based on Armbruster’s evidence?’

  ‘Yes.’

  Minna started shaking her head. She kept shaking it. Not indignantly, but as a comment on the injustice of this turn of events. ‘It’s not fair, you know. Armbruster himself brought his son over here. We recognized him from the newspapers, and we did him a favour. So that’s not what he has against me. What he has against me is that he was misled into thinking I was a society lady. When he found out I wasn’t, he couldn’t stand by and let his son’s marriage bring me into his family. Not in his position. It’s really not fair. I’m cleaner in my business than he is in his.’