It was a fairly normal and quiet day at Four Corners. The weather was fair,
although it had poured the night before. The bar was crowded due to the
fact that it was incredibly muddy outside. At a table near the window,
three men sat talking and drinking whisky. Suddenly a wooden vehicle rolled
into town, catching the attention of a long brown-haired man.
"Hey Chris, was there a coach supposed t'come in today?" Vin Tanner, a brown haired tracker, asked the black-clothed man sitting next to him. He peered out the window of the bar and shook his head.
"Not that I know of," Chris Larabee replied quietly, standing up. To Vin, that meant that this was some unforeseen arrival. Vin also stood up, motioning to their friend Buck Wilmington to follow.
The coach's door swung open as the three men reached the door. A girl of about 17 or 18 years old climbed out, then closed the door slightly. Her light brownish blond hair gleamed in the sunlight. She was dressed in a long peach dress. The three men watched as she began talking to another person inside the coach. The windows had heavy curtains over them, and from where they were standing the men couldn't see who it was.
"Now, don't you worry, Nanna, I'll be alright here," The girl drawled in a soft Southern accent. The other person in the coach, presumably her Nanna, must've said something else, for the girl paused before talking again. "Of course I remember everything you told me. Nanna, do you really think I'd forget what he looks like?" the girl drawled. Vin couldn't help but noticing a hurt edge cut in on her steady voice.
The girl nodded a few times and sighed. "No Nanna, I don't think you should come. It would be for the worst, I'm sure of it." Finally the girl waved and said goodbye. She lifted her luggage and stepped away as the coach rolled away. Buck walked over to her.
"May I help you with those?" he asked politely. The girl turned around and smiled warmly.
"Of course, my fine gentleman," she laughed. "But I may warn you, I don't travel lightly." The girl laughed again as Buck lifted the luggage and had to put it down again. "Maybe I should help you there," she said, easily lifting one of her bags.
"Buck, are you sure you can manage those?" Chris asked with a small grin. Buck put the bags down on the wooden porch.
"How long...can..she..be..staying..for?" Buck said, gasping for breath. Vin even chuckled at that one. The girl hoisted the bag she was carrying up onto a barrel, watching the coach roll totally out of sight.
"Finally! I was afraid that Nanna would change her mind and decide to come with me," the girl laughed. "I'm sure you men wouldn't appreciate that much." she said, smiling at them. Vin noticed that even though she still had her southern accent, she sounded less proper and more like a normal kid; even more like one of them.
"Well now, your Nanna can't be all that bad," Buck said.
"Oh, she's always nice to me. But you have to learn how to deal with her," the girl said softly, smiling. "She always tried to bring me up as a proper young lady, but she ended up making me one quarter proper, one quarter tomboy, and...." her voice slowly drained off. Vin saw her hand go up to a small silver locket around her neck, and realized that they probably shouldn't ask what the other two quarters were. He nudged Chris, and Chris caught on, but unfortunately Buck didn't.
"Well now, young lady, you don't seem like half a women to me? I mean, if you can lift things that I can't, there must be another half to you. What are the other two quarters?" he queried. The girl smiled slightly and looked down.
"I suppose that I'm one quarter my mother and one quarter my father. Although my Nanna didn't really accept me taking after my father at first, she's learned to appreciate it more than anything else now," the girl answered. There was a slight pause before anyone spoke again.
"Well Miss...." Vin started.
"Leslie. But please, don't call me Miss Leslie, I get enough of that at home," Leslie said politely. "And, if you don't mind me asking, what are your names?"
"I'm Mr. Larabee. Chris Larabee," Chris said, tipping his hat.
"Buck Wilmington at your service, Leslie," Buck said, bowing grandly. Leslie laughed and curtsied at him.
"My name's Vin. Vin Tanner," Vin said quietly, leaning against the wall. He gave Leslie that characteristic smile of his, and she smiled back.
"Well, it's mighty nice meeting you fine gentlemen," Leslie said, her proper character taking over.
"Okay, Leslie. If you'll follow me, I'll bring you t'our boarding house where you can get a room. How long will you be staying again?" Vin asked. Leslie furrowed her brow and frowned.
"To tell the truth, I don't even know! Nanna and I never set a date, she said that I would write her when I wanted to come home," Leslie said. "Is that a problem?"
"No, not at all," Vin said, picking up one of the bags. "Just follow me." Leslie picked up another bag, and Chris grabbed the third one, smiling at Buck.
"Maybe you had better sit this one out, Buck," Chris said. Buck stuck out his tounge but sat down on a barrel, still breathing hard. He watched as the two men and Leslie entered the boarding house. Just before he walked in, Chris suddenly put the luggage down, and turned to Buck, giving him a pained expression. Buck just laughed as Chris picked up the bag again and continued into the building.
*******
Up in Leslie's new room, Vin stood watching as she unpacked her things. Chris had gone back to the bar after he dropped off the bag.
"So...Leslie, I heard you were looking for someone," Vin asked, not accustomed to saying Miss yet. She nodded her head and glanced out the window.
"Yeah. I heard my father had taken up residence in this town. I figured that this would be the best place to look for him," she said. Suddenly her glance caught something outside the window, and she sighed. "If I ever get to him though....that's another question."
"Well, I'll be glad t'help you out. That is, if you don't mind telling me his name," Vin offered. Leslie looked up, alarmed.
"Oh no! Please, don't do anything. I know you only mean for the best, but it would be too much of a shock for my dad coming from you," Leslie said frantically, then suddenly quieted. She knew she had said too much. Vin was about to say something when a shout came from downstairs.
"Hey! Look at that horse!" someone shouted. Leslie and Vin hurried to the window, and Leslie could see a dark black horse gallop towards town.
"Oh, Ace!" Leslie half shouted, half whined. Before Vin could say anything, she ran out of the room.
*******
Chris watched as Leslie ran out into the street. He saw the stallion come galloping into the street, and Chris stood up quickly. But before he could do anything, Leslie had planted her feet in the ground. Putting her hand on her hips, she frowned.
"Ace! Whoa!" she shouted. The black horse stopped in front of her and put his head down guiltily. "You're not supposed to be here!" she exclaimed. Sighing, she checked him over. "Now, what have you done with Jeremy?" she asked the horse, frowning. He snorted and pawed the ground. "If I didn't love you so much I would....argh!" Leslie exclaimed.
"Miss! Miss!" someone shouted. Leslie sighed, turned and gave Chris a pained look, then turned around.
"Hi Mark. Where's Jeremy?" Leslie asked the brown haired servant patiently. The jumpy man shrugged.
"He saw some old friends and...and went t-to visit them. He said I could ride Ace the rest of the way," Mark explained.
"Well, I hope Jeremy doesn't get himself killed," Leslie said with a worried expression. "He doesn't have a lot of friends outside of home."
"Don't worry Miss, he'll be alright. Now, if you want, I can take Ace back to the coach," Mark said. Leslie shook her head, taking the reins.
"No Mark, that's alright. You'll never catch them now. I'll keep them here. Why don't you hang around a bit?" Leslie said, leading Ace over to Chris. "Chris, would you be able to help me get a nice silent place to keep Ace while I'm here?" Leslie asked quietly.
"It would be my pleasure," he said, grinning at her. She grinned back, and allowed Chris to lead Ace to the barn. As Vin watched from the doorway of the boarding house, Leslie saw someone in the bar and stiffened. Her hand went up to the locket that hung around her neck and she whirled and ran to the boarding house. She glanced at Vin as she passed, but quickly looked down and ran up to her room, locking the door. Vin leaned against the boarding house's doorway frame, giving a curious look up to her room.
"Hey Chris, was there a coach supposed t'come in today?" Vin Tanner, a brown haired tracker, asked the black-clothed man sitting next to him. He peered out the window of the bar and shook his head.
"Not that I know of," Chris Larabee replied quietly, standing up. To Vin, that meant that this was some unforeseen arrival. Vin also stood up, motioning to their friend Buck Wilmington to follow.
The coach's door swung open as the three men reached the door. A girl of about 17 or 18 years old climbed out, then closed the door slightly. Her light brownish blond hair gleamed in the sunlight. She was dressed in a long peach dress. The three men watched as she began talking to another person inside the coach. The windows had heavy curtains over them, and from where they were standing the men couldn't see who it was.
"Now, don't you worry, Nanna, I'll be alright here," The girl drawled in a soft Southern accent. The other person in the coach, presumably her Nanna, must've said something else, for the girl paused before talking again. "Of course I remember everything you told me. Nanna, do you really think I'd forget what he looks like?" the girl drawled. Vin couldn't help but noticing a hurt edge cut in on her steady voice.
The girl nodded a few times and sighed. "No Nanna, I don't think you should come. It would be for the worst, I'm sure of it." Finally the girl waved and said goodbye. She lifted her luggage and stepped away as the coach rolled away. Buck walked over to her.
"May I help you with those?" he asked politely. The girl turned around and smiled warmly.
"Of course, my fine gentleman," she laughed. "But I may warn you, I don't travel lightly." The girl laughed again as Buck lifted the luggage and had to put it down again. "Maybe I should help you there," she said, easily lifting one of her bags.
"Buck, are you sure you can manage those?" Chris asked with a small grin. Buck put the bags down on the wooden porch.
"How long...can..she..be..staying..for?" Buck said, gasping for breath. Vin even chuckled at that one. The girl hoisted the bag she was carrying up onto a barrel, watching the coach roll totally out of sight.
"Finally! I was afraid that Nanna would change her mind and decide to come with me," the girl laughed. "I'm sure you men wouldn't appreciate that much." she said, smiling at them. Vin noticed that even though she still had her southern accent, she sounded less proper and more like a normal kid; even more like one of them.
"Well now, your Nanna can't be all that bad," Buck said.
"Oh, she's always nice to me. But you have to learn how to deal with her," the girl said softly, smiling. "She always tried to bring me up as a proper young lady, but she ended up making me one quarter proper, one quarter tomboy, and...." her voice slowly drained off. Vin saw her hand go up to a small silver locket around her neck, and realized that they probably shouldn't ask what the other two quarters were. He nudged Chris, and Chris caught on, but unfortunately Buck didn't.
"Well now, young lady, you don't seem like half a women to me? I mean, if you can lift things that I can't, there must be another half to you. What are the other two quarters?" he queried. The girl smiled slightly and looked down.
"I suppose that I'm one quarter my mother and one quarter my father. Although my Nanna didn't really accept me taking after my father at first, she's learned to appreciate it more than anything else now," the girl answered. There was a slight pause before anyone spoke again.
"Well Miss...." Vin started.
"Leslie. But please, don't call me Miss Leslie, I get enough of that at home," Leslie said politely. "And, if you don't mind me asking, what are your names?"
"I'm Mr. Larabee. Chris Larabee," Chris said, tipping his hat.
"Buck Wilmington at your service, Leslie," Buck said, bowing grandly. Leslie laughed and curtsied at him.
"My name's Vin. Vin Tanner," Vin said quietly, leaning against the wall. He gave Leslie that characteristic smile of his, and she smiled back.
"Well, it's mighty nice meeting you fine gentlemen," Leslie said, her proper character taking over.
"Okay, Leslie. If you'll follow me, I'll bring you t'our boarding house where you can get a room. How long will you be staying again?" Vin asked. Leslie furrowed her brow and frowned.
"To tell the truth, I don't even know! Nanna and I never set a date, she said that I would write her when I wanted to come home," Leslie said. "Is that a problem?"
"No, not at all," Vin said, picking up one of the bags. "Just follow me." Leslie picked up another bag, and Chris grabbed the third one, smiling at Buck.
"Maybe you had better sit this one out, Buck," Chris said. Buck stuck out his tounge but sat down on a barrel, still breathing hard. He watched as the two men and Leslie entered the boarding house. Just before he walked in, Chris suddenly put the luggage down, and turned to Buck, giving him a pained expression. Buck just laughed as Chris picked up the bag again and continued into the building.
*******
Up in Leslie's new room, Vin stood watching as she unpacked her things. Chris had gone back to the bar after he dropped off the bag.
"So...Leslie, I heard you were looking for someone," Vin asked, not accustomed to saying Miss yet. She nodded her head and glanced out the window.
"Yeah. I heard my father had taken up residence in this town. I figured that this would be the best place to look for him," she said. Suddenly her glance caught something outside the window, and she sighed. "If I ever get to him though....that's another question."
"Well, I'll be glad t'help you out. That is, if you don't mind telling me his name," Vin offered. Leslie looked up, alarmed.
"Oh no! Please, don't do anything. I know you only mean for the best, but it would be too much of a shock for my dad coming from you," Leslie said frantically, then suddenly quieted. She knew she had said too much. Vin was about to say something when a shout came from downstairs.
"Hey! Look at that horse!" someone shouted. Leslie and Vin hurried to the window, and Leslie could see a dark black horse gallop towards town.
"Oh, Ace!" Leslie half shouted, half whined. Before Vin could say anything, she ran out of the room.
*******
Chris watched as Leslie ran out into the street. He saw the stallion come galloping into the street, and Chris stood up quickly. But before he could do anything, Leslie had planted her feet in the ground. Putting her hand on her hips, she frowned.
"Ace! Whoa!" she shouted. The black horse stopped in front of her and put his head down guiltily. "You're not supposed to be here!" she exclaimed. Sighing, she checked him over. "Now, what have you done with Jeremy?" she asked the horse, frowning. He snorted and pawed the ground. "If I didn't love you so much I would....argh!" Leslie exclaimed.
"Miss! Miss!" someone shouted. Leslie sighed, turned and gave Chris a pained look, then turned around.
"Hi Mark. Where's Jeremy?" Leslie asked the brown haired servant patiently. The jumpy man shrugged.
"He saw some old friends and...and went t-to visit them. He said I could ride Ace the rest of the way," Mark explained.
"Well, I hope Jeremy doesn't get himself killed," Leslie said with a worried expression. "He doesn't have a lot of friends outside of home."
"Don't worry Miss, he'll be alright. Now, if you want, I can take Ace back to the coach," Mark said. Leslie shook her head, taking the reins.
"No Mark, that's alright. You'll never catch them now. I'll keep them here. Why don't you hang around a bit?" Leslie said, leading Ace over to Chris. "Chris, would you be able to help me get a nice silent place to keep Ace while I'm here?" Leslie asked quietly.
"It would be my pleasure," he said, grinning at her. She grinned back, and allowed Chris to lead Ace to the barn. As Vin watched from the doorway of the boarding house, Leslie saw someone in the bar and stiffened. Her hand went up to the locket that hung around her neck and she whirled and ran to the boarding house. She glanced at Vin as she passed, but quickly looked down and ran up to her room, locking the door. Vin leaned against the boarding house's doorway frame, giving a curious look up to her room.