Even now, she could close her eyes and remember the time they’d worked the Vignette lad’s hip joint back into place. He’d fallen from a cliff and had cried out in a steady stream of sobs and moans while they worked. It had taken both ofthem, Audrey and Madame Maiser, to leverage the joint back into place. That had been six or seven years ago, so perhaps Audrey was strong enough to manage it alone now.
She would have to. And the sooner she accomplished it, the sooner his pain would subside.
She shifted so she was facing his thigh bone, doing her best to recall everything she could about the maneuver. “Your hip joint is out of place, so I’m going to try to work it back in. This will hurt at first, but then you should feel much better.”Ifshe could get this done right. And if there wasn’t an even greater problem, like broken bone fragments in the joint, or some other painful possibility.
She wouldn’t know for sure until she tried.
If only she had some of Papa’s drink to numb Levi’s pain before she attempted this next step. Willow bark tea would be the next best thing. She had willow bark at the cave, but taking time to start a fire, heat water, and let the tea steep was too much delay. The sooner this joint was set, the less damage might be done inside the limb.
Lord, block the pain so he doesn’t feel it. And guide my hands. Give me wisdom to know how to set this.
With one hand under his knee and the other supporting his lower leg, she lifted the limb and braced her own knee under his so his knee rested on her thigh. His limbs were so much larger than hers. So much heavier than the Vignette lad’s had been. This brawny man needed her to be strong. No half-hearted attempt would do.
Settling herself in the right position so she could press down and inward on his lower leg, using her own raised knee as a lever, she began applying pressure. First a little, then more. Levi groaned, and she allowed herself a singleglance at his face. The lines in his jaw pulled tight, his eyes squeezed shut.
She refocused on her work, feeling the strain in her arms through her core and through his leg. She pushed harder, leaning into the effort, listening for the pop and jerk that would signal the joint was back in place.
A grunt slipped from Levi, louder than the groan from before, but she stayed focused on every sensation, every bit of pressure that ebbed through her hands and down his hip to the joint.
Nothing was happening, save the torture she was inflicting on this strong man. She angled her knee to the left and pushed down harder on his foot. This had to work.God, help it work. Move this joint back into place.
As she clenched her jaw with the effort, she tipped his knee a bit inward. A jerk pulsed up from his hip, and a surge of relief washed through her stealing her strength.
She glanced at Levi’s face. He lay still, his skin almost as pale as the snow. Had he lost consciousness from the pain?
“Levi.” She barely spoke above a whisper.
“Hmm.” He didn’t open his eyes, and his voice sounded almost groggy. Maybe he was simply exhausted from fighting through the torture she’d just inflicted. Not to mention everything he’d endured before. His ribs had been injured, too, she was fairly certain.
Pulling her knee from under his, she gently laid out his leg. Getting the joint into place had been the hardest part, but what if bones had been broken as well?
The immensity of it all, the host of unknowns, threatened to overwhelm her. She rested both hands on Levi’s leg, then bowed her head and laid out her heart before the Lord.
Heavenly Father, only you can heal this leg correctly. Place your divine hand around him so his body knits straight and true. Repair any bones or vessels that are damaged. And help us get him safely up to the cave.
She stayed in that place of reverence for another moment, soaking in the connection with the Father. The One who had promised to never leave or forsake her. Levi, too, was His child. And God was the One who knit each bone and joint and sinew in the first place. He could certainly put a few of them back together now.
“Thank you, Lord.” She whispered the final words, then lifted her head and opened her eyes. A glance around helped return her to the present.
How late in the day was it? A glance at the gray sky showed the sun only an hour or two above the horizon. How could it still be early morning? A day seemed to have passed since she watched Levi leave the cave, bound for places she would never see. Brielle and the others would be back to begin searching again soon.
Now it would be weeks before he went anywhere. She would need to rethink their entire plan. This hip needed to be rested, and likely the ribs, too, so they didn’t damage internal organs. Levi wouldn’t be able to care for himself.
First things first, though. She had to focus on getting him to the cave.
If she found a pair of sticks to slip under his arms, would he be able to maneuver up the mountain? That might be the best option, but it would be a challenge on the path beside the cliff, just below the cave’s entrance.
Her mind scrambled through other options. If she found his horse, would riding up the mountain be a better course?Twisting his leg at that angle might pull the hip back out of joint again so soon after the first occurrence. The sinews around it hadn’t had a chance to resecure themselves.
Staying down here wasn’t an option. Not with the cold and remnants of snow, and with the searchers likely to return any moment.
Getting him up to the cave was her only chance to keep him safe.
15
Levi focused on steadily breathing, counting each inhale. His entire body felt numb in the aftermath of the agony in his hip. Audrey had taken away the burning flame inside him, dulling it to a weary throb.
And now she’d gone.
