“This is bedlam, Mr. Scott,” Joseph said tersely from behind her. “We cannot subject the women to this humiliation. This is no better than a gauntlet.”

“Rest easy, Lord Colville,” Mr. Scott replied in his usual patronizing tone. “While the men are certainly more exuberant than I’d expected, I am grateful we shall be able to locate suitable husbands for each woman so readily and expeditiously.”

“The men need to be carefully screened,” Joseph said. “I insist upon it and will speak to the Female Immigration Committee to ensure it.”

At Joseph’s declaration, Mercy breathed a prayer of thanksgiving for at least one friend among the masses. Maybe with Joseph’s help she’d survive the day.

She didn’t hear Mr. Scott’s reply, as the women ahead of her began to walk down the wharf. Upon reaching land, one of the first women in line knelt to the ground, dug her hands into the sandy soil, then bent and kissed the earth.

Mercy wished she could feel the same joy at being on land after so long at sea. But with the prospect of facing the men, her insides were as topsy-turvy as if she were back on the ship during a storm.

At last, her feet connected with the sand and rocks and then, a few steps later, firmer ground. Her stomach began to churn. She’d never experienced the nausea of seasickness so many of the other women had. But here and now, on dry land, she felt the need to bend over and vomit.

Only Ann’s trembling fingers in the crook of her arm kept her upright. The girls needed her to be strong, to set an example, to protect them.

The men loomed ahead, pressing and jostling against one another behind the ropes while the officers held out their arms to keep the onlookers from falling into the women.

“Lord have mercy,” Ann whispered as they reached the crowd, the hooting and cheering almost deafening.

“Head down, my lamb,” Mercy said, her eyes trained on the hard-packed earth, hoping Joseph wasn’t far behind and that if the men tried anything, he’d rush to their defense.

The narrow path ahead past the shouting horde seemed endless, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t block out their cheers.

The women in front halted, forcing the line to a standstill. Mercy glanced ahead to see that a tall man from the crowd had hopped over the rope and now stood in front of one of the women. A hush fell, allowing her to make out the interloper’s words.