End of the Line

Chapter 23. Sin City

Chapter Twenty-three 

Sin City 

The 6th of December 1924, a Saturday, was Belle's twenty-first birthday. For this special event, she requested a weekend shopping trip to Montreal. Pop initially objected, but finally agreed when Meg, who had turned twenty-one a month earlier, agreed to accompany her.  

Together they boarded the early morning train to the big city, Belle taking only her purse, an overnight bag, and an umbrella. Freezing rain was a possibility. On arrival, Giovanni met them as arranged. Meg, not informed of this, was furious, and wondered what her role could possibly be in the subterfuge. 

Her worst fears eased when Giovanni drove  the short distance to the Windsor Hotel and took them up to their double room. As they unpacked, he told of his plans for the weekend. They seemed innocuous enough,shopping all afternoon, a brief rest to freshen up, and then a treat, the best show in town.  

"What is that?" asked Belle. 

Giovanni brandished two tickets above his head. Belle strained to reach them pressing herself bodily against Giovanni in the process. After a lengthy pretence of denial extending the body contact, he relented, and handed Belle the tickets. 

"These are the hottest tickets in town." 

 "But these are hockey tickets,"  said Belle, struggling to hide her disappointment.

Meg squealed. "Really! You have tickets for the Forum. For the Maroons? You'll just love it Belle. It's a brand new arena, opened just a week ago. I listened to the first game on the radio. The Canadiens were playing then." 

Belle was obviously unimpressed.  

"After the game we will have a late supper and then we'll go on to a party that is being thrown by my parents." 

This was more to Belle's liking.  

Both of the young women had received cash for their birthdays, cash that was to transform Belle's appearance. First, they entered a hair salon. Belle requested a bob. Meg looked on horrified, as the light brown ringlets that Belle had so carefully maintained over the years fell to the floor. There was no way that Meg would allow them to touch her braided jet-black locks. It had to be admitted that the short hairstyle really suited Belle's slightly cherubic face, but Meg thought the tight curls on the forehead were a bit much. 

Their next stop was a hat shop. The purchase of one of the fashionable cloche hats, brimmed bathing caps as far as Meg was concerned, seemed to her a ridiculous waste of money as the hat effectively concealed the expensive hair do. Meg wisely said nothing. The store also sold accessories and Belle proceeded to buy a triple stranded fake pearl necklace, a bracelet, and a small brown leather purse that matched the strapless high-heeled shoes that she bought at an adjacent shoe store. 

She completed her outfit at the recently opened Simpson's store on St Catherine Street, where she purchased silk stockings and a one piece, body clinging dress made of emerald green wool. The dress had long sleeves, a hem above the knees and a risqué V-neck. 

"What do you think of it?" asked Belle as she whirled out of the fitting room. 

"It leaves nothing to the imagination," replied Meg. 

"Perfect. That's perfect."  

Meg didn't particularly like the latest fashions. In fact, she didn't feel comfortable in skirts at all. She much preferred to be messing around in dungarees and so obstinately refused to purchase any item of clothing suggested by Belle. She had saved her money to buy herself a new pair of jodhpurs, something for the horses, and a Christmas gift for Dan. She had drawn his name in the yearly lottery. Her shopping was a success. She bought a Hudson Bay blanket for Conker, a new bridle for Blizzard, and a watch for the chronically unpunctual Dan.  

Belle took an inordinate amount of time to prepare for their evening on the town. She was still in the bathroom applying the finishing touches, when there was a knock on the room door. Meg answered. It was Giovanni, and standing beside him a short rotund man with jovial features. 

"Meg. I'd like you to meet Marco. Marco this is Meg." 

Marco doffed his trilby, gave a stiff little bow, and shook Meg's proffered hand. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mees." He, unlike Giovanni, spoke with a heavy accent. "I hope we have a little fun tonight." 

Meg never discovered what Marco meant by 'a little fun'. Making conversation was difficult. They had so little in common, his English was limited, and he had the infuriating habit of ending his mostly inane remarks with an, "It's funny no."  

So Meg had been 'set up' for the evening. She decided to go along; anything to see the Maroons. The hockey game was fine. Conversation there was virtually impossible. After the game, the couples went their separate ways. Marco directed a cab to a smoked meat emporium on the Main. In a sequestered booth, their discomfort with each other became painfully obvious. They hardly spoke then, or in the cab ride to the Ambrossini residence in Westmount. Outside the house, an obviously intoxicated crowd was milling around. This was definitely not Meg's type of party. 

"Marco. I'm not really feeling too well. Would you mind too much if I gave the party a pass. I think I should make my way back to the hotel." 

Meg was taken aback when she saw the luck of relief on Marco's face. 

"Party not funny no." he said. 

"Definitely not funny for me, but good for you. You go and enjoy yourself I'll take the cab back to the hotel." 

"Are you sure?" 

"Yes I'll be fine." 

Marco handed Meg a handful of notes, and as he clambered from the cab he turned and said, "You sexy lady." 

Whatever must the cab driver be thinking. 

It was almost three in the morning when a shake of the shoulders woke Meg. Belle had returned, her new outfit reeking of smoke, and her breath of alcohol. 

"Wake up Meg. Wake up. I've something to tell you." 

Meg raised herself to a sitting position. Belle was obviously excited. Alcohol alone could not explain the heightened colour, the shining eyes, the rapid breathing." 

"He wants me to go away with him." 

"Who?" said a half-awake Meg. 

"Giovanni, you dummy. He wants me to go to Florida with him." 

"When?" 

"Right now." 

"You can't. What will your parents think?" 

"I don't give a damn. This man can give me everything I've ever wanted." 

"But what do I tell them?" 

"Just tell them I've decided to take a job in the States, and that I will get in touch when things settle down." 

"Pop will be furious." 

"Too bad." 

Belle eventually married Giovanni. The marriage was childless; all prospect of a birth lost in Flookburgh. Giovanni died tragically whilst making a solo flight to Albany. His plane crashed in to a mountain. Some believe it was sabotaged. Belle didn't care. She inherited a large sum of money and a house in North Hatley, situated on the shore of Lake Massawippi. There she lived the life of the proverbial "Merry Widow", and gave little thought to her beleaguered kin.