An American Beauty: A Novel of the Gilded Age Inspired by the True Story of Arabella Huntington Who Became the Richest Woman in the Country

In a journal entry on her 17th birthday, Arabella “Belle” Duvall Yarrington details a dream she had. She was in a grand room, richly decorated, with a banquet table laden with extraordinary delicacies. She was beautifully dressed, with a cameo bracelet upon her wrist. She wakes before she can taste any of the food.

Belle was born in Alabama but now lives in Richmond, Virginia; her father died of cholera some years ago. Belle works at Johnny Worsham’s illicit gambling saloon. She is usually the “Champagne Girl,” standing around with trays of drinks for patrons. Sometimes, she stands in for the “Piano Girl” when the usual girl is on leave.

One evening, while Belle stands in position holding her tray, a man named Mr. Collis Huntington approaches her and makes conversation. He has visited the parlor once before, a little more than a month ago, and addresses Belle by her faux name, “Miss Lenore.” He claims she has been “ensnared in [his] memory” (14). Belle suggests that he come by again the next day, as her shift is almost over. She wraps up and walks home to Yarrington House.

Belle’s mother, Catherine Yarrington, runs the boarding house she has named after herself. She was born Catherine James Simms into a genteel family. She married Belle’s father, Richard Yarrington, for love, and was thus cut off by her family. She has had a difficult and impoverished life ever since, especially with five children. Catherine adapted to her life and soldiered on, pinning all her hopes on her middle child, Belle, the loveliest of them all.

Belle is greeted by her mother and older sisters, Lizzie and Emma. Catherine informs them that they need to repay their credit with the grocer within the week, and Belle promises to bring back some money the next day. She heads upstairs to the cramped and lightless attic where she and her family live, as the rooms are reserved for renters. Belle and Lizzie share a bed, with Belle using it during the day and Lizzie at night. As Belle falls asleep, she decides to put off worrying about all her problems until later.

The boarding house came with a battered old piano, and Catherine insisted that her children, all of whom she has taught to play, take turns playing on it to help bring customers in. This has worked well, but Catherine’s attachment is more to the instrument itself. It reminds her of herself: Like her, it has seen more elegant times but remains sturdy through a less beautiful present.

A newspaper article on August 21, 1867, reports on a raid of illicit gambling saloons in Richmond.

As Belle gets ready for the evening, Johnny Worsham asks her to fill in at the piano for the next few weeks; the regular girl, Franny, is ill. Belle asks for an advance, as she needs money urgently and won’t get tips at piano. Johnny gives it to her as a loan with interest. The other girls tell Belle that Franny is out because she had a miscarriage.

As Belle plays, Collis approaches her again and strikes up conversation. Interrupted by the sound of the brass bell upstairs, they realize they are being raided. Everyone flees, and Belle drags Collis with her through a secret trapdoor in one of the rooms. Collis claims he is happy to pay the fine, but Belle says the punishment additionally involves imprisonment and having his name printed in the papers. As they hear voices above them, Collis asks if Belle is afraid. She retorts, “I am never afraid” (33).

Catherine’s experiences have taught her a single important lesson: “Nothing is certain. Take what you can, when you can” (35). Her wealthy family disowned her after she married for love, and even they soon descended into financial ruin. Because of this, when Collis arrives with a jewelry box, asking for Belle, Catherine lets him in, even after noticing the wedding band on his left hand.

Belle writes in her journal about fate and luck. Three girls got caught in the raid and now wait in jail with no one to pay their fine. Belle reflects on how Franny, with her miscarriage, might have been the lucky one.

Belle dreams that she is riding a hart in dark woods, dressed in a scarlet gown. The hart comes to a river and pauses before intuiting Belle’s desire to leap toward it. Belle is woken by Emma telling her she has a caller.

Belle finds Collis, who she knows is a railroad tycoon and self-made multimillionaire, waiting for her in the drawing room. She already knew who he was when he came in the second time, as Johnny had given her his background after their first encounter.

Collis has come to thank her for saving him. He was more than happy to pay Johnny’s exorbitant price to learn Miss Lenore’s real name. Belle privately notes that Collis is 30 years older than she is and not very handsome, but she finds him interesting.

Collis and Belle go out for a walk in the garden. Collis admits that he enjoys gardens, and Belle reveals that she tends to this one herself. Collis gives her the jewelry box, which contains the same cameo bracelet Belle saw in her dreams. He asks if he can see her again, and she welcomes him to drop by whenever he likes.

After a few days of Collis dropping by after dinner, a private coach arrives at Yarrington house one evening, and Belle departs in it instead.

Johnny sends note to Yarrington House with the news that the parlor will be opening again soon. He instructs Belle to buy a new dress.

During the parlor’s closure, Belle and Collis meet every night at a house he rents down the river. They talk about New York, which Belle loves to hear about, and how Collis misses the natural world, as he grew up on a farm. Responding to Belle’s query, he tells her about his wife, Elizabeth, who has supported him and been by his side for years. She is a good mother to their daughter, and Collis believes she deserves better than him.

When Belle returns home one evening, Lizzie gives her the note from Johnny. Belle is determined not to return to the parlor again, and Lizzie suggests she use her relationship with Collis to her advantage. Belle knows this Collis has risen from similar destitution himself. At 13, he was taken in by neighbors and raised until he was able to make his own way. He saved money and started out by buying a horse and wagon to peddle clocks and silverware across the country. As he traveled, he realized the limitation of not having proper roads and came up with idea of connecting the country with railroad tracks; he became a millionaire in the process.

The next time Collis and Belle meet, she demurely tells him she has to go back to work soon for the good of the family. Collis proposes an alternate idea.

Belle tells Catherine that Collis is going back to New York and wants her to come with him; he will put her up in a rented house there. She has asked for three days to think about it but plans to persuade him to let her bring her family along. Belle asks Catherine if she would be willing to move, and Catherine responds, “Dear God, yes” (59).

Belle writes to Collis declining his offer to go to New York with him, as she cannot leave her family behind. She plants the suggestion that Collis bring all of them to New York while reiterating that whichever way he decides, she will always consider him a good man.

Collis meets Johnny and proposes that he move to New York and tend to the faro parlor he owns there while pretending to be Belle’s husband. Collis will provide the house, servants, and a monthly stipend. Johnny, who already has a wife, agrees nevertheless, and the men sign a contract. Belle thinks Johnny slick and loathsome, but she knows he is useful because he is charming and sly enough to present himself the right way in New York.

The last time Catherine left Virginia, she was a naive, young, well-bred woman who threw away life and money for love and thought herself lucky to be the bride of Richard Milton Yarrington. All of that quickly broke down when she began her new life in the backwoods of Alabama. When Richard died years later of cholera, all Catherine could think was, “How dare you strand me out here” (70). Those memories resurface as Catherine leaves Virginia again in a private parlor railcar organized by Collis. As she leaves Virginia behind for the second time, Catherine vows to begin again just as she did then, this time thanks to Belle.