“Thank ye,” she said. The words were inadequate to express her gratitude for his help with her predicament and Mr. Scott. Even though she’d gathered the courage to take a stand against the reverend, ultimately it was Joseph’s influence that had saved her and given her the freedom she sought.

His eyes held hers, giving her a glimpse of the turmoil that still raged in the depths of his soul. He opened his mouth as though he might say something. But then he pursed his lips, nodded, and tipped the brim of his hat. A second later, he pivoted and walked out of the room.

His firm footsteps thudded in the hallway, moving rapidly away. When the door closed behind him, the sound echoed with a finality that shook her to her very core.

thirty-one

Mercy clapped her hands to the music of the fiddler and watched the girls as they twirled. Ann, Minnie, Flo, and Kip had been allowed by their new employers to attend Sophia and Pioneer’s wedding and the dance afterward. Most of the other bride-ship women were present too, along with half of Victoria.

The Swan Hall was full to overflowing. With the onset of the evening, the streetlights had been lit and people were dancing outside on the sidewalks and streets to the strains of music flowing from the open windows.

At the center of the hall, Sophia wore a lovely gown of ivory satin with a wide gathered waist, a neckline trimmed with lace ruffles, layers of full petticoats, and a wide crinoline hoop. If the rumors were true, Pioneer had instructed the local milliner that the bridal dress wasn’t to cost less than four hundred pounds.

Pioneer, too, was attired in garments fit for royalty. His hair was neatly cut, his beard trimmed, and his face scrubbed to a shine. He hadn’t stopped smiling the entire day, beaming down at his new bride as if he’d just gained the whole world.

Maybe he had. Maybe some marriages turned out well after all. At the very least, Sophia and Pioneer were looking for a bit of beauty amidst all the bleakness and finding joy in their union.

Mercy leaned against the elegantly papered wall and let her hands fall to her sides. She didn’t mind her spot near the window and the heavy tapestry that half hid her. She’d already spent much of the day explaining to the hopeful men who approached her that she’d made her decision regarding a husband—that she wasn’t choosing anyone at the moment and that she planned to take a job instead and live on her own.