Though she was curious to see her reflection, she hung back, too intimidated to discover how she looked, especially after the months at sea.

“Commander Verney was kind enough to lend us his crew over the past few days since learning of your imminent arrival,” Mrs. Moresby said. “The men painted, repaired, and scrubbed each and every room to make them as comfortable as possible for your stay.”

Mercy guessed Mrs. Moresby had no notion of the condition of the slum hovels most of the poor women had come from, otherwise she might not have gone to so much trouble. She’d have realized that even dirty, this house was much nicer than any place they’d ever known.

“You’ll have your own kitchen at the back of the house,” Mrs. Moresby continued. “The Female Immigration Committee will provide the food, supplies, and utensils necessary for your welfare. However, you’ll need to take responsibility—perhaps forming teams—for the preparation of the meals.”

Beneath the brim of her flamboyant bird hat, the woman wore a remorseful expression as if she regretted they couldn’t offer more. The truth was, Mercy had never had so much food readily available to her as she’d had on this trip. And she was grateful the committee would continue to provide for them and that they didn’t need to fend for themselves in this strange place.

After Mrs. Moresby explained more about the accommodations, apologizing for the simplicity of the bedrooms and bunkbeds on the second floor and the cramped living space, she smiled at the women. “Hopefully, your stay here in the barracks will be short-lived and all of you will find loving husbands and new homes very soon.”

Mercy glanced outside the large front window that overlooked the yard between the buildings. The evening sky was beginning to turn a violet blue with vibrant ribbons of purple and pink and orange threaded throughout in a stunning display of beauty, especially with the bay in the distance reaching toward the ocean.

From what Mercy could see, the men had finally dispersed from the fence that surrounded the government buildings, apparently having decided the women weren’t coming back out.

She let her shoulders relax, and for the first time since coming ashore, she felt safe. Maybe there was hope after all. Hope that she could hide away in the barracks over the next few days and avoid contact with the men.

“Of course, you’ll all have suitors who will want to come calling,” Mrs. Moresby added, quickly breaking Mercy’s fragile sense of peace. “The men will not be admitted inside the government complex without permission. But once you’ve obtained the proper consent, you may use this front parlor as a meeting room so long as you are chaperoned.”

“How will we know who to invite,” someone asked, “if we never have the chance to socialize and introduce ourselves?”