Contents
Chapter 43
Overview
With a surveillance car lurking, Charlie urges secrecy and suggests moving Mrs. Tartt’s money. At the bank, Birdie learns Jack has reduced Mrs. Tartt’s mortgage to one dollar by October 13, a covert rescue.
Back home, Frances discovers the truth: the dance club is a brothel. Flossy and Ruby strong-arm Frances into helping keep Mrs. Tartt upstairs through homecoming. Mrs. Tartt meets the “boarders,” remains unsuspecting, and agrees to a movie outing that night.
Summary
Birdie wakes to find Mrs. Tartt and Charlie composed after a quiet but late night of “dance lessons.” With a car seen watching the house at 4 a.m., Charlie proposes paying off Mrs. Tartt’s note early and moving money out, keeping their closing date secret.
Birdie escorts Mrs. Tartt to town, then visits the bank. There she learns the mortgage has been effectively dismissed—reduced to one dollar due October 13—an unspoken parting gift from Jack. Relieved, Birdie decides to let Mrs. Tartt enjoy paying the symbolic final dollar later.
Returning home, Frances tries to commandeer Picador and clashes with Flossy and Ruby. Birdie attempts to tell Frances the truth but falters; Flossy intervenes. In a tense dining-room confrontation, Flossy bluntly reveals the “dance club” is a brothel and outlines the split of earnings benefiting Charlie, Birdie, and Mrs. Tartt.
Flossy and Ruby coerce Frances to help keep Mrs. Tartt away from the action through homecoming, offering payment and threatening exposure if she sabotages them. Frances, shaken and resentful, agrees and demands that she and Birdie part ways after this ends.
Mrs. Tartt returns from the beauty parlor and meets the “boarders.” The women present modestly, and Mrs. Tartt remains cordial and unsuspecting despite Ruby’s brashness. To muffle the coming noise, Charlie proposes a movie outing; Frances quickly insists on going with Mrs. Tartt, securing the first night’s cover.
Who Appears
- Birdie CalhounNarrator; manages the brothel front, buys a radio, learns Jack reduced Mrs. Tartt’s mortgage, and orchestrates keeping Mrs. Tartt unaware.
- Frances CalhounBirdie’s sister; discovers the brothel, is coerced by Flossy and Ruby to help hide it, agrees under duress and vows to cut ties after.
- Mrs. TarttHomeowner; returns from Jackson, meets the boarders, remains unsuspecting, and is steered to a movie during opening night.
- CharliePartner and madam; tightens secrecy, suggests moving funds, rewards Mrs. Tartt with beauty parlor money, manages introductions.
- FlossyProstitute; candidly reveals the brothel to Frances and compels her to keep Mrs. Tartt upstairs through homecoming.
- RubyProstitute; intimidates Frances into compliance and backs Flossy’s ultimatum to protect the house and operation.
- Mr. BinnyTaxi driver and musician; shuttles Mrs. Tartt, notes differences from old parties, his car’s arrival cues timing.
- EleanorBank receptionist; reveals the mortgage is effectively satisfied and hands Birdie the notice showing $1 due on 10/13.
- JackBanker, absent; quietly arranges dismissal of Mrs. Tartt’s mortgage as a parting gift to Birdie.
- PicadorHouse help; at the sink when Frances returns, sparking Frances’s attempt to reclaim domestic authority.
- Mr. AllisonBank officer; present during Birdie’s visit, his office underscores bank authority in the mortgage reveal.
- VirginiaHouse ally; introduced to Mrs. Tartt as a future doctor among the boarders.
- Esmeralda LincolnProstitute; presents respectably to Mrs. Tartt and fields questions about local roots.
- TrixieProstitute twin; introduced as part of the innocent-looking pair to Mrs. Tartt.
- DixieProstitute twin; completes the twin act, helping sell the boarding-house cover.