“Aye. It’s a really kind offer for a woman like me, to be sure.” Her words sounded familiar. She’d said something akin to this when they were stuck together in steerage during the storm. And somehow, in both instances, the words didn’t sit right but rattled noisily in Joseph’s mind.

“We shall overcome any obstacles, you’ll see,” he assured, more for his own sake than for hers.

“I won’t know nothing about being the kind of lady you need, Joseph.”

“I shall teach you everything.”

“What if I can’t learn?”

“You will learn, trust me.”

She didn’t argue any further with him, but doubt emanated from her eyes.

The uncertainty knocked him off-balance. What was he doing proposing marriage to Mercy? Had he gone mad? Hadn’t he told himself he wasn’t ready for marriage, that he needed more time?

And what about Mercy? If he let her go with the other women into Victoria tomorrow, she’d find another man to be her husband. After all, that was what she’d come here for. From everything he’d heard, the men of Victoria were most eager to meet the women from the bride ship.

“I must admit,” he said, “I own to jealousy at the thought of you going ashore tomorrow and letting another claim you.”

“You needn’t worry on that score.”

“The fellows will take one look at you and fight over who’s to have you.” Though he tried to keep his voice light, darkness seeped into him at the very thought of another man claiming Mercy, touching her, kissing her.

She twisted her hands into her skirt and stared at the tips of her shoes sticking out from its very dirty hem. Finally, she looked up. “I’m not planning to get married, Joseph.”

He watched the play of emotions on her face—guilt, uncertainty, as well as resignation. “I don’t understand. Is that not why you came here? To find a husband?”

“Not at all. I didn’t know this was a bride ship till I was aboard. My plan is to find a job, not a husband. I need to prepare for when Patience arrives.”

“So you’re not going ashore tomorrow looking for a husband?”

She shook her head solemnly. “I got my heart set against marrying.”

He didn’t know whether he should try to convince her otherwise or accept her decision.

“I never did see a happy marriage,” she continued.

“That doesn’t mean yours has to be the same.”

“I’m not sure I’d know how to be different,” she admitted. “Though I’m trying hard not to be Twiggy, seems I’ve got more of her inside me than I thought.”

“No doubt we are all shaped by where we come from,” he said. “But can we not chart a new course for ourselves? You have already begun to do so, have you not?”