Soon after the Mistress left, the healer Mellie Winterbloom arrived as promised, bringing with her far more supplies than she had the previous day. Upon inspecting her patient and learning there had been no significant incidents or changes through the night, she brought up a delicate subject; the man was positively filthy. It was apparent he hadn't been allowed to properly bathe himself for a very long time. Truly, the poor man's odor was likely another contributing factor to Daisy's sleepless night, a fact of which she was reminded each time she reentered the small room.
Mellie explained that both for his health and to better treat the various injuries covering his body from head to toe, she would need to thoroughly wash him. While she came prepared to do so herself, she gently asked if Daisy would prefer—or be comfortable with—assisting. Daisy reddened at the suggestion. True, everything indicated that she and the man were close before she first arrived in Bree—perhaps even betrothed—but she sincerely hoped they hadn't behaved improperly towards each other. Whatever their past relationship was, at this point he was barely more than a stranger to her, and should he ever wake up she'd like to be able to assure him that she'd respected his dignity.
The healer was very understanding and kept the door closed as she cleaned the man and tended to what injuries she could, changing the bandages she'd applied the day before to his head and face. Daisy helped as she could, fetching hot water, clean towels, and a simple robe. Once Mellie finished her work, they both changed the sheets and lifted the newly dressed man back into the bed. Though the healer offered to take the man's ragged clothes to be burnt, Daisy declined, instead leaving them in a sack outside her window.
With some parting instructions, Mellie left the man in Daisy's care. Now alone with her patient, she looked him over anew. He seemed almost a different person, now dressed in a clean robe and his hair no longer being matted. A few new bandages covered him here and there. But Daisy didn't have long to consider whether he seemed any more or less familiar to her, as a rap on the door announced the arrival of yet another visitor.
