Chapter 1

There was no doubt that Michael fell in love with Margaret the moment he saw her, the only question was:  how deep was that love?

Michael was the first man Margaret had ever formally met. Perhaps the innocence about her was the thing that attracted him so. She was nearly ten years his junior, thoroughly cultured but completely inexperienced in worldly affairs, especially when it came to affairs of the heart and men’s ways. And of this, Michael took every advantage by sweeping her off of her feet as much as he could with his devastating charm.

Everything a woman could ask for in the looks of a man, Michael had. Everything other men respected in a man, Michael seemed to be. Thus, his magnetic charisma affected Margaret’s parents as much as his affection, entranced her. Margaret was totally beguiled by his pretense and fell deeply in love with him.

Soon their engagement was announced to the ecstatic delight of her mother, Martha and the pride of her father. They both thought Michael was the perfect man for their daughter. Not only was he likeable, popular, powerful and wealthy, but the fact that he cherished their daughter was the highlight of their life.

Margaret’s mother, Martha, was a kindhearted woman who appreciated the warm and simplistic values of life. She believed that adherence to these simple values inspired the loyalties of life, which a woman in the modern age definitely needed.

Martha’s strong sense of virtue was tempered in her by the sweet expression of unconditional love that came from her own mother, Priscillawho received her values from her mother, Lilywhose heart and ways were as soft as the petals of the flower after which she was named.

And Margaret? Well Margaret was the brilliant white diamond among the precious gems of women that cultured her. Each virtuous facet was meticulously cut by the refined muliebrity of her mother who then carefully polished her ways until they were absolutely flawless; but as lustrous as Margaret was with these shining qualities, she was helplessly ignorant of men’s schemes and wicked ways.

A royal-type wedding was planned. When the awaited date came, scores of people attended. A multitude of eyes shed tears of joy and the backs of Michael, and his father-in-law were slapped with many congratulations…. And so, the beautiful Margaret and her handsome husband were ready to start their life together.

After their honeymoon, Michael bought a lovely Victorian house in Boston as a little surprise for Margaret. Needless to say, she was more than content with this amazing present from him.

From that time on however, she saw little of her husband; for he was an extremely busy man and spared only a sparse amount of his time for her. There were those rare instances though, when some social event demanded their togetherness. Margaret accepted this lifestyle without question and kept herself very busy with other women friends in social affairs.

Of her husband’s real personality? She knew very little, so she always took in every word that was spoken by him as though it was coming from a fully truthful man. The real tragedy was that Michael himself was taken by his own self-made illusions just as much as everyone else was.

Michael heard from many knowledgeable men, that Chicago was the gateway to the West. On impulse, he took a train to see it. Like the modern-day explorer he was, he surveyed the Chicago terrain and found an attractive section of land adjacent to Lake Michigan. Within days he was the owner of a one thousand-acre parcel, which included the desired littoral rights.

Michael’s love for the sea seemed at times greater than his love of life, which made the city on Lake Michigan just the right spot for his new home and shipping enterprise. ‘Life here in Chicago is going to be grand,’ he thought to himself. He stood on the shore looking over the lake and pictured to himself all the business advantages living in Chicago would bring him.

He turned and walked back over his land. ‘Right here,’ he thought, ‘I will build a mansion that will make men sit up and take notice!’ He went back to Boston with dreams soaring higher than a kite, but mentioned nothing of his plans to Margaret. He hired ‘Old World’ craftsmen to build his palace-like mansion. He sat with them in closed-door meetings drawing up the blueprints.

Michael not only had a flare for the good life, he also had a penchant for the intriguing. He conveyed to the architects his wishes for a plexus of secret passageways that would allow him to easily slip from any room in the mansion to any other room of his choice.

“Tactics – that’s what’s important,” he told his chief architect. “Sometimes it’s worth a million dollars just to be able to avoid someone. Sometimes its worth goes up when you want something – depending! You know?” Thus, the builders and designers he had specifically brought in, began constructing his stately mansion.