so.”
“They call it the ‘Hotel of the Presidents’ because so many presidents have stayed here. In fact, Richard told me that the phrase ‘smoke-filled rooms’ originated here when Harding was chosen as the Republican candidate behind closed doors. And the presidential suite even has hollowed-out walls for secret service men.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I don’t know for sure, but that’s what Richard told me.”
“So how is lover boy and married life?”
Marie gave her a disapproving look. Esther rarely called him by his name. “Life is wonderful. It honestly is,” Marie said with a blissful smile.
“No regrets?”
“Absolutely none.”
“Because if I remember correctly, you were having some doubts right before the wedding.”
“Not serious doubts,” Marie clarified. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s not perfect…and, of course, neither am I. But I feel what have together is very special, and the few rough spots we have will eventually get ironed out.”
“Rough spots?”
“Well, that might not be the right phrase.”
“Anything you want to talk about?”
“It’s nothing, really. It’s just that there’s this little private world he has that’s off limits. It bothers me, but when I try to see things through his eyes, I can almost understand why he’s that way. I’m hoping he’ll open up more with time. Have you ever known anyone like that?”
“Yes. My father. But his private world involved another woman.”
“Oh, I’m sure that’s not the case with Richard. No, it’s business with him.”
“You’re sure of that?”
“Yes, of that I’m sure.” She rolled her eyes. “His only mistress is money.”
“Well, like you say, it will probably get better in time. You’ve known him for only a year. That’s really no time at all.”
“I know. C’mon. I’ll drive you home.” Marie stood up from her chair and then froze.
“What’s wrong?” Esther asked.
“I could have sworn that was Richard’s car that just went by,” Marie said, flatly. He wouldn’t have said he was going out of town and then not go. Would he? “Well, I’m sure there must be dozens just like it. Ready, Esther?”
CHAPTER 5
Capone
Catherine’s health continued to deteriorate, and Marie took on even more responsibility at Marshall Field’s. With the Christmas holiday fast approaching, she spent much of her time preparing for the more than 250,000 shoppers expected to visit the store. She asked Catherine one day about the schedule for decorating the renowned Christmas windows.
“What! Good gawd. I forgot all about them! I’ve been so busy with opening up these two new floors and dealing with the inside decorations… oh, my. What’s the date today?”
“The twenty-ninth.”
“They have to be up by the fifth!”
“Catherine, that’s six days from now.”
“I’ll call the supplier. You and Esther strip down all the windows so when the materials arrive, we don’t have that much more to do. Damn them. Why on earth didn’t they call me? They know our schedule better than I do!”
This year’s theme was Snow White, and the characters could not be delivered until the third, leaving less than forty-eight hours to complete all the windows. Marie took the reins. They couldn’t disappoint that many shoppers during the weeks before Christmas.
It took five trucks to deliver everything needed for the window displays. The supplier agreed to allow all five drivers to stay for the assembly, as many hours as it took. Marie was able to get the janitors, drivers, several sales clerks, and shop men to help after their regular shift. She called a meeting with everyone involved to establish a game plan. It was a tight schedule, and every one of them had a long list of specific duties with inflexible deadlines. Everyone was on board.
The store closed at 7:00 p.m. on December fourth. At 7:01, Marie’s thirty-eight helpers went to work. Marie, along with everyone else, didn’t want
“They call it the ‘Hotel of the Presidents’ because so many presidents have stayed here. In fact, Richard told me that the phrase ‘smoke-filled rooms’ originated here when Harding was chosen as the Republican candidate behind closed doors. And the presidential suite even has hollowed-out walls for secret service men.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I don’t know for sure, but that’s what Richard told me.”
“So how is lover boy and married life?”
Marie gave her a disapproving look. Esther rarely called him by his name. “Life is wonderful. It honestly is,” Marie said with a blissful smile.
“No regrets?”
“Absolutely none.”
“Because if I remember correctly, you were having some doubts right before the wedding.”
“Not serious doubts,” Marie clarified. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s not perfect…and, of course, neither am I. But I feel what have together is very special, and the few rough spots we have will eventually get ironed out.”
“Rough spots?”
“Well, that might not be the right phrase.”
“Anything you want to talk about?”
“It’s nothing, really. It’s just that there’s this little private world he has that’s off limits. It bothers me, but when I try to see things through his eyes, I can almost understand why he’s that way. I’m hoping he’ll open up more with time. Have you ever known anyone like that?”
“Yes. My father. But his private world involved another woman.”
“Oh, I’m sure that’s not the case with Richard. No, it’s business with him.”
“You’re sure of that?”
“Yes, of that I’m sure.” She rolled her eyes. “His only mistress is money.”
“Well, like you say, it will probably get better in time. You’ve known him for only a year. That’s really no time at all.”
“I know. C’mon. I’ll drive you home.” Marie stood up from her chair and then froze.
“What’s wrong?” Esther asked.
“I could have sworn that was Richard’s car that just went by,” Marie said, flatly. He wouldn’t have said he was going out of town and then not go. Would he? “Well, I’m sure there must be dozens just like it. Ready, Esther?”
CHAPTER 5
Capone
Catherine’s health continued to deteriorate, and Marie took on even more responsibility at Marshall Field’s. With the Christmas holiday fast approaching, she spent much of her time preparing for the more than 250,000 shoppers expected to visit the store. She asked Catherine one day about the schedule for decorating the renowned Christmas windows.
“What! Good gawd. I forgot all about them! I’ve been so busy with opening up these two new floors and dealing with the inside decorations… oh, my. What’s the date today?”
“The twenty-ninth.”
“They have to be up by the fifth!”
“Catherine, that’s six days from now.”
“I’ll call the supplier. You and Esther strip down all the windows so when the materials arrive, we don’t have that much more to do. Damn them. Why on earth didn’t they call me? They know our schedule better than I do!”
This year’s theme was Snow White, and the characters could not be delivered until the third, leaving less than forty-eight hours to complete all the windows. Marie took the reins. They couldn’t disappoint that many shoppers during the weeks before Christmas.
It took five trucks to deliver everything needed for the window displays. The supplier agreed to allow all five drivers to stay for the assembly, as many hours as it took. Marie was able to get the janitors, drivers, several sales clerks, and shop men to help after their regular shift. She called a meeting with everyone involved to establish a game plan. It was a tight schedule, and every one of them had a long list of specific duties with inflexible deadlines. Everyone was on board.
The store closed at 7:00 p.m. on December fourth. At 7:01, Marie’s thirty-eight helpers went to work. Marie, along with everyone else, didn’t want
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