Chapter Two
“Bess, Bartlemay, stay,” Ivy said. She limped towards the roebuck, leaning on her crutch, and lowered her voice: “It’s all right. We’ll help you.”
The young buck shied back, stumbling to one knee.
Ivy paused. “Don’t run,” she said, quietly. “We mean you no harm.”
The roebuck staggered up to all four legs again. She saw how labored his breathing was, how his muscles trembled.
“You can trust us.” Ivy took a small step forward. “We want to help you.” Another small step. “I promise we’ll do you no harm.”
This time, the buck didn’t shy from her. He stood motionless, panting, watching her slow approach with wary eyes.
When she was close enough to touch him, Ivy halted. She gripped the crutch tightly with her right hand, and reached out with her left.
The buck flinched at her
