Wear something else, something pretty, the sprite urged.

I don’t want Jeff to wait. Besides, even Mama would agree this is a perfectly acceptable afternoon dress. Noli took a dark blue bonnet and matching cape out of her wardrobe, the nice wool one with bows and ruffles, and put them on. Out came a pair of kidskin gloves from her dresser. As an afterthought she grabbed her old lace parasol.

She penned a note and galloped down the back stairs, leaving the note on the kitchen table. Now that it was only the two of them, without even the lowliest servant, the kitchen had become the hub of the house.

“Noli, you have no food.” Jeff stood in the kitchen, opening and closing the worn wooden cupboards, frowning deeply. His hoverboard stood propped against the kitchen door. “Were’s Mrs. Diller? The house is a mess.”

“She dismissed Mrs. Diller about a year after you left and I can only do so much,” Noli huffed. “Mama still makes me go to school, and I can’t clean up or fix things when she’s around. And we do so have food.” It just wasn’t fancy, interesting, or tasty.

He looked around the kitchen, at the breakfast dishes in the sink, clean laundry piled on one of the chairs, candle wax marring the surface of the table, and his forehead creased. “Why don’t you have a staff? I send you money from every single job.”

Noli sighed. “Mama won’t use it. She hides it—well. Believe me, I’ve looked everywhere. She says it’s for my dowry. Between you and me, I think she’s dipped into it to buy me things as she attempts to force me upon society. Apparently, since I’m nearly seventeen, I’m old enough to stop this hoyden nonsense and get married.” She grimaced, not ready for marriage or giving up her dream of going to the university. “Mama’s been talking about a trip to Boston to see everyone, which we can’t afford unless she uses that money or asks Grandfather.”

Jeff opened the empty breadbox and rubbed his chin. “What does he think?”

“He has no idea. You know how stubborn she is,” Noli shrugged. “She tells him you support us. She’s afraid if he knew he’d bring us back to Boston—if he does that, we won’t be here when father returns.” Grandfather Montgomery, their mother’s father, lived in Boston. He was a very influential man, and as stubborn as their mother.

“Father’s never … ” He shook his head and forced a smile. “Where would you like to go?”

Noli thought for a moment. “Could we go to the pier? Please? Like Father used to take us? I haven’t been there in ages.”

Who knew if she would ever get the chance again? Eventually her life would take her from Los Angeles. If she stayed with V, which she fully intended … well, he held fast to his dream of eventually taking back his family’s kingdom in the Otherworld.

“The pier? Don’t you think that’s a little far?” Jeff’s eyebrows rose. He had dark brown hair like their father. Actually, he looked a great deal like their father, right down to the cleft in his chin. But he had their mother’s startling blue eyes.

Noli raised her chin. “Not for a hoverboard.”

Jeff laughed. “Hoverboards are one person conveyances.” His look grew sly. “Unless you happen to have one.”

Her mouth spread into a smile. Of course she did— in the shed in the backyard. It was actually Jeff’s old hoverboard which she’d fixed up. Flying it could land her in trouble. However, she had a more legal solution.

“I know how to balance properly to ride tandem. I ride with V on his, sometimes.”

Although that had been an afternoon of laughing, bruises, and torn stockings.

“Is that even possible? Or legal?” Jeff asked.

“Of course it is, as long as a male is at the helm.” But no one ever thought to do so because of their small size— and the balance factor.

Jeff shook his head. “Flying tandem on a hoverboard? Only you … ”

“Is that a dare?” she laughed. That would make it all the better.

“Yes, if you can fly tandem on my hoverboard all the way to the pier, then I’ll buy you a sundae at the ice cream parlor.” His eyes danced with delight. That look had gotten them into heaps of trouble as children.

She held out her gloved hand. “It’s a deal.”

They shook. He cocked his head, a partially amused smile on his lips. “Since when do you wear gloves willingly?”

“It’s proper to wear gloves.” Her cheeks burned both at the words that tumbled out of her mouth and the fact she’d unconsciously grabbed them. This wasn’t the first time. The sprite liked frippery and finery. Most of Noli’s newfound ladylike behavior, behavior her mother praised, was the sprite, not Noli.

Noli hated herself for it, because she didn’t want to be a proper lady. She wanted to be a botanist, she wanted to fix things, she wanted to save her family through hard work and a university education—not marriage to a boring society lump.

Fighting her mother, society, and the sprite in order to hold on to herself and her beliefs tired her even more than homework and housework. The sprite liked the idea of marriage, as long as it included parties and fancy gowns— precisely the type of marriage her mother sought for her.

“Noli?” Jeff touched her arm, bringing her out of her thoughts, eyes brimming with concern. “Are you feeling well?”

She shook it off. “I’m fine, let’s go before it gets too late.”

The vast, unyielding blue-grey of the Pacific Ocean came into view as Noli and Jeff approached the pleasure pier on his hoverboard, the colorful cars of the Ferris wheel on the horizon. They touched down on the sand.

Jeff picked up his board and walked over to the wooden hoverboard rack alongside the pier. “I can’t believe you actually stayed balanced the entire time.”

She grinned as he put away the hoverboard. “You owe me a sundae.”

“That I do.” He held out his arm. She opened her parasol against the afternoon sun and took his offered arm. Jeff eyed the parasol on her shoulder but didn’t say anything as they walked up the wooden steps leading to the pier. It had two parts, a fishing pier and a pleasure pier filled with rides, games, shops, and, her favorite, the carousel.

They strolled past those fishing off the sides of the pier and made their way through the throng of carnival games. The air smelled of salt, fish, sugar, and funnel cakes. Carnies called out, asking Jeff if he wanted to test his strength or win her a bauble.

As they passed the candy floss vendor she inhaled the sugary sweet scent, her mouth watering at the thought of the pink confection. “Do you remember how father always let us each have one game, one ride, and one treat?”

Jeff smiled. “Those were fun times. I’ll tell you what, why don’t we do the same—only your treat is your sundae.”

“Really?” The thought of riding something made giddiness rise inside her.

The sprite flit around her head, bouncing off the sides like a pinball as she took the pier in. I want to ride everything. Oh, that’s shiny. Can we eat that?

“Are you certain you’re not too much of a lady to go on rides? You might get dirty … ” Jeff flicked her parasol with his fingers.

“Would you like me to be smacked with my parasol, sir?” she teased back, trying to damper the sprite’s excitement before she grew out of control. “Besides, it’s not improper to enjoy rides.” A group of giggling girls in dresses finer than hers climbed into the Ferris wheel. “I’m going to ride the carousel.”

He cocked his head, looking the tiniest bit out of place in his flying gear and no hat. “The carousel? We’re a little old for that, don’t you think?”

She let go of his arm and strode toward the large wooden structure near the back of the pier that housed the carousel. “You might be, but I’m not.”

Jeff held up his hands in surrender. “As you wish.”

He opened the wooden door of the carousel house for her and the sounds of organ music greeted them. Large, colorful wooden animals rose up and down to the music as the red-topped carousel whirled around and around. Nannies with prams and mother speaking softly lined the walls. A young couple stood hand and hand watching each other more than the carousel. Noli closed her parasol, remembering how their father had brought them here as a special treat before he left for San Francisco—and disappeared forever.

Jeff bought two tickets. They leaned against the wooden barrier and watched as children and a few girls a little younger than her streamed off the carousel.

She gave him a look that said, see, told you.

The operator let them in. Hiking up her skirt with the hand not holding the parasol, she headed straight for her favorite—the white and pink horse. She climbed on, bustle and all.

Oh, pretty, the sprite whispered.

Isn’t it? I always ride this one. For a split second she could hear her father coming behind her, saying up you go, as he boosted her onto the wooden horse.

Jeff climbed onto the blue horse next to her. Usually he rode the red one up ahead, but a little boy had claimed it.

She watched as the young couple took a seat on the sleigh, holding hands. Pangs of sadness pierced her heart. Hopefully V would return from the Otherworld soon.

The carousel lurched forward, music filling the air. She held on to the brass pole as the horse went up and down. Closing her eyes, she thought of happier times. Of her father.

Too soon the carousel slowed to a stop. Jeff jumped down from his horse and held out his hand to help her off. As they made their way outside, she turned and gave the carousel one last look, biting her lower lip. Good-bye, carousel.