Mercy didn’t mind the rule. She had no desire to talk to any men now or in the future. She didn’t figure there was a reason to form relationships or friendships with any men, not when she had no intention of getting married. As far as she’d ever been able to tell, marriage brought a whole lot of trouble, including unfaithfulness and more babies.

There were too many desperate women who married the first man who showed them any attention, thinking marriage would rescue them and perhaps finally give them a mite of stability and happiness.

Many of Mercy’s friends had fallen prey to such thinking. One by one they’d paired off and married men in the neighborhood. But instead of being happier, her friends had ended up with more heartache, especially when the babes came along only to die of hunger or disease.

The truth was, Mercy hadn’t witnessed many successful or happy marriages in her tiny dark corner of the world. As a result, marriage didn’t appeal to her any more than the thought of having children.

But not everyone was committed to singleness the way she was. She guessed most of the women who’d boarded the Tynemouth hoped to find good husbands someday.

Mrs. Robb swept her gaze over the women. “Once we reach the colonies, I’m told there are at least a thousand young men earnestly awaiting your arrival. The minute you step off the ship, you will each have a host of admirers making you offers of marriage.”

The comment brought a round of giggles and laughter from the women, save Mercy, who recoiled at the prospect and prayed that Mrs. Robb was exaggerating.

The tall woman’s face, however, was as solemn as a gravedigger’s. “I hope you can see the serious nature of maintaining your reputations and virtue during our long weeks of traveling. You wouldn’t want any hint of impropriety to prevent you from making a good match upon your arrival. Thus you must take very seriously the rule not to fraternize with other passengers. Do you understand?”

The women chattered among themselves with a barely restrained excitement Mercy didn’t share.

“I asked, do you understand?” Mrs. Robb spoke sharply above the commotion.

Mercy was quick to join the others in voicing her affirmation. Mrs. Robb would soon find she had nothing to worry about with Mercy Wilkins. Nothing at all.

nine

Sarah’s sick again,” Ann whispered when Mercy stepped into their cabin, which had only enough standing room to allow a few of them at a time to be out of their berths.

Ann peered at Mercy from the bed above Sarah’s. Flo and Minnie shared the bunk on the far wall, while Kip had taken the top bed above Mercy.