If only she had a little of Ann’s belligerence or a tiny amount of her strength in standing up for herself. Ann had taken to proudly wearing the necklace she’d plucked from the dirty chamber pot. It was a badge of sorts, almost as if she wanted to prove her worth. She’d said society might consider her and the rest of the poor women to be nothing more than throwaway trash, but underneath they were really treasures.

“Mercy?” came a soft voice, nothing like Mrs. Robb’s, from the other side of the door.

“Aye, ’tis me.” Mercy tried to place the voice. “Miss Lawrence?”

“I’ve come to offer my assistance.”

Mercy crossed to the door and opened it a crack to find the young woman pale but intact, a far cry from the moaning and wretched condition she’d been in only the night before. “You’re still weak, miss, and ought to be abed.”

“I am feeling a hundredfold better today.” Miss Lawrence smiled. “I wanted to thank you once again for coming to my aid. I know the other ladies are just as grateful.”

“No need for any thanks, miss. I’m happy to do it.”

She nodded, then hesitated. “When I heard Sarah may have the smallpox, I knew I had to offer my help.”

“Thank ye, miss. But the best thing you can do is stay away, that it is. Otherwise you’ll be catching the illness too.”

“Not to worry. I’ve already been vaccinated.”

Mercy opened the door wider.

“My stepmother required it of both me and my sister,” she continued. “Her first husband died of the disease. And when she saw the way the smallpox ravaged the body, she was terrified of anyone else contracting it.”

Mercy supposed she could use the assistance, as she was so tired still. But part of her protested allowing any other woman into Joseph’s cabin. It was foolish, she knew. He’d offered her friendship, and she wanted to have that friendship all to herself. She didn’t want to share it—not even with someone as considerate as Miss Lawrence.

“Dr. Colville is still waiting to learn what the disease is,” she finally responded. “If it’s not smallpox and is something else, we sure don’t want to be exposing you or any of the other women, now, do we?”

“No, I suppose not,” Miss Lawrence said reluctantly.

“I’ll be right well,” Mercy added. “You just go on and take good care of yourself, d’ye hear?”

Miss Lawrence smiled again, this time wearily. “Very well. But please do not hesitate to call for me if you need assistance. I shall be only too glad to help you.”