Sierra looked down at her hands, placed on her lap. "Do you think my father ever loved me?" she asked. "I remember so little of him. Do you think he loved my mother?"

"He loved you both," William answered. "He left to spare your suffering. He hardly took a thing he owned,only a horse, a small roll of bills in his pocket, and a few articles of clothing. He left all his other possessions to you and Marie Anne."

"Do you think he's still alive?" Sierra pressed. Her eyes ...