The Bonemender's Choice Read Online Free PDF

brought this lurid and overwrought nightmare. So she told herself.
    Her nightgown was damp with sweat, cold now in the early spring air. She slipped out of bed and groped in the chest at its foot, finding a new shift by feel in the dark room.
    She would never admit it to a soul, but there were times when she missed having a nurse sleep in the room with her. Times like this one, when Rochelle would stir up the fire and chase away the night phantoms with her warm arms and sensible voice.
    Since Madeleine’s thirteenth birthday so much had changed.She was a woman now, the crampy bleeding that had come for the first time last month confirming it. She loved the privacy of her room, her new, grown-up dresses and being part of the adult dinners. But she missed—well, she missed Matthieu. A gulf had opened between them, invisible but so hard to cross. Everything he said to her seemed silly or insulting. Everything she said seemed disapproving or superior. He said she was “prissy” and half the time he was right—but she didn’t mean to be.
    Tonight, though, the gulf had closed up, just for a bit. She saw him again bursting into the dining room with his jacket misbuttoned and his tunic tail poking out in back. When he sat down between Madeleine and Sylvain, only the children had seen the fluffy curl of a gray breast-feather caught in the tousled hair on the back of his head. By unspoken agreement they said nothing, though Sylvain had caught his big sister’s eye with a smirk many times through the meal. Finally, at dessert, Madeleine had plucked out the feather with a flourish and planted it in Matthieu’s custard where it waved under his breath like a brave little flag. Matthieu, rising to the challenge, had snapped it a smart salute.
    Smiling at the memory, Madeleine burrowed into her blankets. She could sleep now. Matthieu had chased away the pirates.
    B ITING THEIR LIPS with the effort, clutching onto each other’s arms for support, Mira and Marie walked slowly but steadily across the road and into Gabrielle’s outstretched arms. She felt her eyes well up at the sight, but blinked back the tears and instead gave the girls her most radiant smile. They snuggledagainst her, and she tugged their neat braids gently. Solemn hazel eyes looked up at her.
    “You are such brave wonderful girls, and I am so proud of you.”
    Shy smiles, just a little wider from Mira. It was easier to tell them apart now, and not only because she knew them better. Mira’s gait was draggy in the left leg, the result of a damaged tendon behind the knee. With use it would improve, but Gabrielle thought there would always be a lingering limp.
    “You remember what I told you,” she added. “You do your stretches four times a day—at every meal and before you sleep. Do them just the way we practiced, and your legs will grow stronger and stronger.”
    “They’ll do their stretches, all right.” Simon stood at the doorway to Colette’s house, his wife and mother-in-law just behind. “We’ll all see to it.”
    “Then I think that’s all.” Gabrielle stood and held a hand out to each girl, and together they made their way back to the cabin. She looked now to Aline. “If there’s an unexpected setback, you know where to find me. Don’t hesitate.”
    Aline was in tears now, but Simon was more practical. “We can’t begin to pay you for what you’ve done, but whatever we can pay we will.”
    Gabrielle shook her head. “No, no. There is no fee. Please don’t even think of it.” She was so thankful she had never had to charge for her services. She couldn’t imagine asking these hardworking people, who had already been through so much, for money, or how she could possibly calculate a value for what she did.
    “Well, you can’t go away empty-handed. Wait here a minute.”Simon disappeared behind the cabin and emerged carrying a bulging burlap sack. It squirmed and gave a muffled squawk.
    “Three good chickens in here. If ye’d be so kind