“Don’t … worry about me … Just … kill it… before it hurts Janna.”

In a lightning-fast motion, Sloan dropped the pie tins and reached for his six-shooter. Bringing the barrel up, he fanned the hammer rapidly, firing off five shots in quick succession. The snake jumped in rhythm with the explosions.

Awakened by the uproar, Janna let out a piercing wail of terror. Even so, the silence afterward seemed deafening. For a moment, Heather stood paralyzed as she stared at the bloody mess that had been the rattlesnake. A sense of unreality kept her immobile; a thin haze of gunsmoke swirled around her, while the stench of powder stung her nostrils.

The baby was crying, she realized dazedly.

With a sudden sob of relief, she scooped Janna up and held her tightly in an almost crushing embrace, feeling a possessiveness so savage, so strong, it made her weak. She was shaking so hard, her knees nearly buckled beneath her.

She was grateful for the support when Sloan came and put his arms around her as she held Janna.

“God … I thought…” His jagged murmur said everything she was feeling.

She nodded, shuddering, unable to answer.

And instant later they heard footsteps pound up the back steps, before a half-dozen Bar M ranch hands burst through the door in response to the gunshots, many of them in stockinged feet.

Rusty was in front, rifle drawn. He stopped abruptly when he saw Sloan embracing Heather and his wailing daughter.

“What happened, boss?” Rusty demanded breathlessly.

Sloan glanced over his shoulder. “Everything’s okay. Heather surprised a rattler, but I shot it before it struck anyone.”

“Well, if you’re sure you don’t need anything…”

“We’re okay, thanks.”

The boys backed out, shutting the door politely. When they were gone, Heather said hoarsely, “I was so afraid. I thought you might not come in time. It could have … killed her.”

Sloan rested his forehead on her hair. “But it didn’t. We were lucky.” His reassurances, however, didn’t disguise the tremor that shook his own voice.

“Sloan, I’m sorry… I should have been more careful.”

He shook his head. “You couldn’t know… You did right to keep still, duchess. Tomorrow we’ll turn this place upside down and make sure there aren’t any more critters lurking in any dark corners.”

Heather nodded weakly, trembling to realize how close they had come to tragedy. Life was so very precious—but it could be taken away in an instant.