"He take other…poison…white…powder?"
"Aye."
"It the cause," he said. "Not…your fault."
"Thank you," she said, and he noticed her voice shook. She was crying too, but, regardless, she managed to say, "I know. It still be hard."
He nodded.
The door to the room opened, and Henrik, being accompanied by Stands Strong, stepped back into the bedchamber, bringing with him a bucket of water. Said Henrik, "Me own self washed her cuts and bruises…them ones meself could see."
"I…glad," answered First Rider. "Here. Wait." He set her hand back onto her knee. Reaching down, he picked up one of his parfleche bags from the floor, and, opening up a small buckskin container, extracted some herbs and a mud, clay-like substance; then, taking up a shell from the same bag, he dipped the shell into the water and then sprinkled the herbs and mud over the water. Looking up at Henrik, he asked, "Soft skin…for wash…her face?"
"I be gettin' thee one fast, right enough."
First Rider signed, "Good." He had barely laid his hand back upon his knee when Henrik pushed a white man's cloth into his hand. Taking up the bit of material into his hand, First Rider dipped it into the herb-scented and muddy water, then he proceeded to clean her face and her eye, his touch gentle. "You have…injury…other places on body?"
She simply nodded.
"I look."
"Nay," was her instant response. "They be beneath my clothin', and I will be not takin' off my clothin' when there be four men in this room."
First Rider chuckled a little. "You," he said, "wise. We go…other room." He pointed.
"I will not! Does thou expect me to go in the other room and take off me own clothin'…with thou in there with me? And, alone?"
"Your father come…too."
"No! I be not doin' it!"
He nodded briefly. "I give herbs…to father. He do…for me. I wait."
"I be thinkin', Mr. First Rider, that thou should give the herbs to meself and instruct me and no one else, right enough. I will be not lettin' me own father in there either, when I be without clothin'."
"Give to…you?"
"Aye! Give them to me."
He laughed. But, nonetheless, he put the herbs into her hands, and, helping her to stand up, he took the bucket in hand and informed her, "You…go. I follow. Will…instruct."
First Rider was well aware that she hadn't answered, and so, assuming he had her permission, he stepped behind her and into the adjoining room, leaving the door open.
