They remained with the caravan for three days, as agreed.
The first was mostly sleep. The second involved putting the kitchen beams back straighter, which proved to be a more exacting task than delivering the calf. Chaska borrowed a measuring cord, rejected two proposed lashings, and spent an hour on the awning while Jhevi’s sister supervised from below.
Ysabet checked Moss-on-Stone and the calf. The mother was sore and disinclined to entertain professional interest. Ysabet accepted the limits of her examination and watched from a distance instead.
Crooked Morning learned to stand by leaning against the nursery cart. Its bent left foreleg remained bent. Pela padded the rail where it rubbed and devised a low step from which it could nurse without bearing all its weight.
“I thought you’d straighten it,” she told Ysabet.
“I don’t know how.”
The girl considered this with more composure than Ysabet had expected.
“Would a brace help?”
