Ginevra finished primping me and stood back.
“Magnifico,” she breathed. Then held up a hand. “Eh, how your mother would say…mahvelous.”
We shrieked with laughter and fell against each other.
“Pearl!”
My father's voice from below.
“Come along now, my Pearl, the best is yet to come.”
They must have heard our laughter, oh how my father must have loved it. I was certain of it, as certain as I was that my mother cringed at each peal.
With one last squeeze, I pulled Ginevra with me.
* * *
It stood at the bottom of the front steps, held up by the ever-tweeded Mr. Grayson.
“Oh, Father.” I stood before it, mouth agape. It was the finest bicycle I had ever seen. It was the new sort, the safety bicycle it was called. Gone were the penny-farthings with the enormous front wheel and the small
