He hunkered down, setting Janna on her feet. His voice was low and tender when he spoke to his niece. “Your ma is buried here, Janna.”

“I’m not sure she understands,” Heather said gently.

“Maybe not yet, but she’ll learn. She should know about her mother.”

Heather nodded, knowing Sloan felt as he did. Quietly she bent to pluck the fragile stem of a columbine and placed it on the grave. Picking another one, she put it in Janna’s little hand, urging her to do the same.

A meadowlark trilled just then, and Wolf’s head came up, like a wild animal sensing danger. Heather hadn’t heard a sound, but when she looked around, she saw a horseman riding toward them.

Sloan. Her heart lurched painfully. She hadn’t meant for him to find her here. She felt a little like Blackbeard’s wife, prying into secrets of his past.

He came to a halt a few feet away, the brim of his hat shading his eyes. He was angry, she could sense it, even if his bright, arresting eyes remained remote and cool as he swung down from his horse.

After a brief glance at her, he ignored her and addressed his brother-in-law. “Rusty said I’d find you here.”

“I brought Janna to pay her respects to her ma,” Wolf explained easily.

Sloan nodded and tugged off his hat. He took a private moment before turning his attention to his daughter. He didn’t speak to Heather at all, which made her wonder if perhaps he believed she had desecrated the gravesite.

They rode back together, Janna with her papa. Heather remained silent while Sloan and Wolf caught up with each other’s lives. It seemed that Wolf had made a rich strike and was headed for Denver to enjoy the spoils of his find.

Sloan seemed genuinely pleased by his brother-in-law’s good fortune, but he ribbed Wolf about his newfound wealth. “It’s about time you came down out of your mountains and quit leading the life of a hermit, though it’s hard to think of you as a mining baron.”

It wasn’t long before Heather realized the two men, though vastly different, enjoyed a deep camaraderie. But then, they shared a common bond—a woman they had both loved.

When they reached the ranch, Heather took Janna to the kitchen to fix supper while the two men retired to Sloan’s study to resume their discussion. An hour later, she had to call them twice before they joined her at the table.

Supper proved to be an extremely enjoyable meal for Heather, with Wolf keeping her entertained with tales of life in a mountain camp. Afterward Heather put Janna to bed, while Sloan and Wolf once more settled in the study, this time sharing reminiscences over a bottle of whiskey.