The fastest girl in the world. That’s what I’m going to be.

I decided this morning. It was the best kind of morning, sunny but not too hot, white clouds that looked like dumplings way up in the bright blue sky, birds chirping away at each other, and little yellow butterflies dancing around. I’d buttoned up my sailor suit and was buckling my shoes when the door opened. It was my daddy. The Duke. That’s what everyone calls him.

“I got a surprise for you, Whippersnapper,” he said. “A present.”

“A present? But it’s not my birthday.”

“I don’t need some special occasion to give my own daughter a present. If I say today is a present-giving day, it is. And mark my words, girl, this present is going to change your life.”

“What is it?”

“Why you little sneak. Are you trying to trick me into telling you?” The Duke was using his pretend-to-be-angry voice and that made me laugh. “Then it wouldn’t be a surprise.” He smiled. “Up in the carriage house. Come with me.”

If I live to be a hundred years old, I’ll never forget today. The Duke took my hand in his and the two of us walked down the hall, past the parlor where my stepmama, Jane, was playing scales on the piano with my half brother, Eddie. He loves that piano and didn’t even look my way. In the kitchen I told our cook, Old Ida, where we were going and she said she loves surprises and tugged one of my braids and then we went into the backyard.

When something good’s about to happen, that makes me feel like skipping—I don’t understand why so many people walk when they could skip instead—but this morning, I couldn’t bear to let go of the Duke’s hand, so I behaved myself for once in my life—like Jane is all the time telling me to.