The Fairytale Trilogy. Valerie Gribben

      “I’m sorry, Robin,” said Marianne, hanging her head and watching the dust clouds that kicked up as she dragged her feet. “It won’t happen again.”

      “It certainly won’t,” said Robin, leading Marianne away. “We are setting off now. Sorry, Bart,” said Robin, glaring at him as they walked away.

      “It’s Art,” corrected Marianne.

      “Marianne!” cried Art, running after them, “You forgot your book! Good luck with your reading.” The side of his mouth went up in a sweet smile.

      “Bye, Art,” she whispered as Robin gave her a signal to hurry. “Good luck with your show.”

      “I know it will make the audience say ‘Whoa!’” replied Art softly, waving until Marianne and Robin disappeared around the corner.

      Out of sight, Robin wasted no time in assailing Art. “And furthermore, you had no right at all to go squandering our money on some clown because he can tell you how two words sound alike!” Robin’s tirade continued as they left the carnival grounds. His diatribe harped primarily on Marianne’s lack of thriftiness and why Art should be hung upside down until he got a “real job,” as Robin phrased it. Marianne rode in seething silence, puckering as though she’d just consumed a sour strawberry. When Robin criticized Art again, Marianne defended him. “You have no right to tell me what I can and cannot do with this money! If it hadn’t been for me, you would have been a pearl on Penelope’s necklace! You’re angry because I’m sharing my attention with someone more cultured than you! A boy who doesn’t think you have to beat up on some goblin to feel good about himself!”