The Ranger's Daughter

Slipping Defenses

Mary Anne smiled as she watched Grace step out onto the porch where Vance was leaning up against a roof support waiting. This was a brilliant idea, it took so long to ride to and from the Lace farm, the couple would have ample time to get better acquainted. Mary Anne really didn't need to spend time helping Susan sew but she decided to visit her friend anyway. She didn't want to be shown a liar!

Grace smiled as they walked across the yard to the barn where Mary Anne stood with the wagon. She was determined it would be a good day. She wouldn't waste one single day of life, not one. Last night, Grace had retired early, it may have seemed that she simply wanted to leave mother and son alone to catch up, but that wasn't her true motive. Grace missed her father, heart heart aches for him. Sometimes it aches so badly it felt like a physical pain. Once in her room, Grace had collapsed on her bed and sobbed tears for the day. She had determined the day of her fathers death that nobody would ever see her cry again. It was weakness and Grace would never display weakness to anyone. She is strong, in control. Only her pillow in her lonely bedroom should ever know how deep the hurt went.  Therefore, even though she had had a white night previously, this morning  (after her strong coffee) had found her smiling and eager to begin the day. She just prayed and hoped that she could hold it together when they reached the old farm. She didn't want Vance to know just how weak her inner heart really was.

Vance felt torn, as he helped Miss Pace into the wagon and then took his own seat. He was angry at his mother for forcing this long trip on him. He was trying to avoid the girl! Of course he could just whip his shirt off, that would keep her speechless most of the journey but Vance didn't want to do that again. If his mother kept this up he'd be forced to burn all his shirts and run around half naked and if that quit working well then his pants would be the next to go. He groaned in frustration. See? See this? His thoughts didn't even make sense any more. Here he is considering full time nudity because he's trying to avoid a girl. It doesn't even make sense! He fines inwardly. What made his struggle even harder was that another part of him was glad for the reason to spend with the girl. He couldn't explain why he had insisted she have her coffee with him, just like now he couldn't explain the guilty pleasure he had in escorting her to her farm. He wasn't supposed to feel this way. What happened to his defenses?

"It'll need to be cut down."

Vance jerked at the sound of her soft voice. "What?" He asked. Was she talking about his defenses? Was she reading his mind? That was impossible!

"The wheat." Grace replied. " Wasn't that what you were looking at?"

"Not really, just lost in my own thoughts I guess." Vance grumbled somewhat relieved that she'd been talking about wheat.

"What kinda thoughts?"

"Private thoughts."

"Oh." Grace paused in thought. This was going to be a very very long trip if they sat in silence the whole way, besides she really didn't think silence was good for her right now, not when she was determined to be strong. Silence gave a person too much time to think, to remember. "Tell me about when you left home." Grace smiled as she leaned down from the wagon to pick a daisy as they rode by.

"Why?" Vance knew he was being rude but he really didn't want to discuss this with Grace. The less she knew about him the better off he was.

"Because o want to know what made you leave. We have a long trip anyways, you might as well entertain me."

"Entertain you?" Vance snorted, "What do I look like? A one man circus."

"Well..." Grace tapped her chin playfully as she studied the handsome man beside her. " I think... Yes. You definitely work for the circus. As a knife thrower or a lion tamer. No wait! I have it! You're the bearded lady!" Have burst into giggles over her silliness.

"The bearded - why you!" Vance paused, an unfamiliar feeling was building up in him, he couldn't understand it. As grace continued to giggle over his reaction to her silliness, Vance felt the overpowering urge to laugh. Grace's giggle was enchanting, contagious and the sight of him as a bearded lady! Unable to withhold the unfamiliar reaction, Vance started to laugh with Grace. He laughed until his side ached. Grace giggled they dissolved into hiccoughs. Unable to laugh any more, she laid her head against his shoulder. Then just when they thought they were done, one would start laughing and the other would follow.  It wasn't as funny as they were making it, some may say it wasn't funny at all. But to the man that had no laughter who felt only pain and disappointment  and to the girl who felt betrayed and lonely this tiny bit of humor- Vance as a bearded lady - was just what they needed to cleanse the soul and relieve some of the tension that had been building between them.

And so, when the laughter between them subsided, it found the couple  much more relaxed and dare I say happier than before.

"I've never worked a a bearded lady." Vance said. "I'm surprised you would even have the courage to suggest such a a thing to me."

"You are rather intimidating." Grace agreed with a nod, "But you bleed the same as the rest of us so I don't see you as any different. Just a mite tougher."

"You think I'm intimidating?" Vance was rather surprised. That wouldn't have been a word he would have chosen to describe himself. He wondered why she found that word suitable.

"Yes."

Vance was slightly irritated that she didn't elaborate his stubborn pride refused to allow him any more  questioning on the matter.

"You still haven't told me why you left home all those years ago." She reminded him, "Sheriff says you left in a fury."

"Sheriff has no business talking about my past." Vance grumbled.

"Oh quit the grumbling, Vance!" Grace exclaimed. "I know you can laugh."

Vance was quiet for several minutes before he said, "I haven't laughed in a long time."

"Why not?" Grace asked peering up at the tall dark man. She struggled to hold his gaze when he turned his penetrating green eyes on her.

"Because I never had much to laugh about." He said.