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“I need no one,” Kaylene said, though knowing that she cherished Little Sparrow’s friendship. Theirs was a bond that no one would sever, even if Kaylene managed to escape. She would always remember the sweet goodness of the small deaf-mute Kickapoo child.
“I saw how you and Little Sparrow showed friendship toward one another,” Running Fawn said, watching for Kaylene’s reaction. “If you would have a small child’s friendship, why not mine?”
Kaylene began to see an advantage in the friendship that the pretty woman offered. Perhaps the woman had no other friends if she needed Kaylene’s friendship so desperately. Such a friendship could work to her advantage. If she gave her friendship and then threatened to take it away from the woman, perhaps the woman would do anything to keep from losing it.
Kaylene turned slowly over and faced Running Fawn. “What is your name?” she asked softly.
“I am Running Fawn, the daughter of Black Hair,” Running Fawn said, her eyes suddenly dancing when she realized that perhaps this white woman was going to be receptive to her after all.
“Black Hair?” Kaylene said, eyes widening. “Fire Thunder’s warrior friend?”
“Yes, he is my father,” Running Fawn said, lowering a cloth in the basin of warm water. She smiled at Kaylene. “It would so please my chief, if when he returned, you were freshly bathed and clothed. It would please me if I could tell him that I am responsible.”
Kaylene looked down at herself, at her soiled gown, and then at the ripped sleeve where blood was caked to it.
She felt itchy from not having a bath. And she knew that she might even feel better, mentally, if she smelled and looked clean.
“I do need bathing,” she conceded, smiling awkwardly at Running Fawn. “But I would rather do it myself.”
“You cannot, not with your injured shoulder,” Running Fawn said, staring at the bandage. Then she gazed at Kaylene’s face as she managed to move into a sitting position. “We are both women,” she murmured. “What would it matter if I saw you unclothed?”
“I have never made it a practice to undress in front of anyone, even my mother,” Kaylene said. She sighed with pain as she tried to lift her arm to prove that she could care for herself.
“Do you see?” Running Fawn said softly. “You are not well enough to bathe yourself. Let me remove your soiled gown. Let me wash you. Then I will help you put on my blouse and skirt. You may want to wait until later to put on the moccasins, when you are able to get up and walk around. It is warm enough in the cabin for you to go without shoes. Fire Thunder’s fire is kept burning both day and night, even when he is not here to see to it. There are those of my people who see to his needs. After he has a wife, then things will change somewhat.”
The mention of a wife sent Kaylene’s eyes quickly to Running Fawn. “He has never had a wife?” she asked warily.
“No, never,” Running Fawn said, dropping the wet cloth into the water again. She placed her fingers at the hem of Kaylene’s gown and slowly lifted it up over her head. “He has been too busy with the duties of chief. No woman has interested him enough.”
Running Fawn lay the gown aside and gazed intently into Kaylene’s eyes. “But perhaps that has changed?” she murmured. “He would not bring a captive into his private lodge unless . . . unless he has feelings for her.”
Kaylene’s face heated with a blush. She looked away from Running Fawn.
She sat quietly as Running Fawn bathed her, then stiffened when Running Fawn placed a finger to her chin and turned her eyes to meet hers.
“You did not tell me your name,” she said.
“Kaylene,” she said, not offering her last name.
“That is a pretty name,” Running Fawn said, placing the cloth back into the water.
“Thank you,” Kaylene said softly, glad to have her nudity covered with a skirt and blouse. The skirt was made with four flounces. The blouse was a loose overblouse of solid blue cotton. Both the skirt and blouse were embellished with rickrack of a contrasting color.
“You feel better now?” Running Fawn said, rising to carry the basin of water toward the door.
“Yes, much,” Kaylene said, her fingers going to her hair. She shuddered when she felt how tangled it was. “But I would feel much better if I had a brush for my hair.”
She felt that it was strange that Running Fawn gave her a strained sort of look at that request. Then she went to the door and pitched the water outside, as though Kaylene hadn’t asked for anything.
“Truly, I would love to have a brush for my hair,” Kaylene said as Running Fawn came back to her and knelt down behind her. She could feel Running Fawn stroking her fingers through her long, waist-length hair. “That won’t be enough, Running Fawn. Please go and get me a brush.”
Still the request was ignored.
“I am arranging your hair in one long braid down your back,” Running Fawn said softly. “I shall take the ribbon from my hair and tie it around your braid. That will make you lovely enough. Do you not think so?”
“I doubt anyone would say that I look lovely right now, with my shoulder bandaged and my hair in need of a brushing,” Kaylene argued.
Running Fawn leaned around, closer to Kaylene’s face than before. “You are beautiful even without a bath or pretty clothes,” she said, giving Kaylene a friendly, sincere smile.
