He couldn’t keep his eyes from drifting back to Mercy. Her expression was resigned, as though she was accustomed to being insulted on a regular basis.

She certainly was beautiful, especially the way her long lashes framed her eyes, making them appear bigger and more luminous. For one so pretty, he was rather surprised she hadn’t already been claimed. Surely she had any number of men vying for her and could have her pick of a husband at the snap of her fingers. So why join a bride ship?

His question begged for an answer, but he was too polite to speak about so private a matter.

“You can rest assured,” he said, closing the drawer, “this time I won’t insult you by insinuating that Sarah is your daughter.”

“Thank ye, sir.” She ducked her head, taking him much too seriously since Sarah was too old to be her child.

“Dr. Bates informed me of your generosity in caring for many of the children in your neighborhood.”

She only gave a slight nod to acknowledge his statement.

“And Sarah?” he asked. “Is she a youth from your neighborhood?”

“I just met her, sir. On the train ride here.”

He stopped short and stared at Mercy with growing fascination.

“Is there anything, anything at all I can do to help her?” Mercy stroked the girl’s cheek.

“She’s an angel of mercy, though she doesn’t know it.” Bates’s words rushed back to Joseph’s mind.

“Doctor?” Her lashes swept up to reveal trusting and generous eyes. She clearly gave of herself with no thought of getting anything in return. He’d do well to follow her example.

“I have a couple of remedies.” He started to swish the liquid in the bottle he was holding. “Hopefully they will lessen the discomfort and allow her to keep down some sustenance.”

Since Sarah seemed to be resting more comfortably, Joseph used the lull to administer medicine. He lined her nostrils with the minty wormwood ointment and then gave her a spoonful of the tonic. Seeing that Sarah was tolerating the medicine, he allowed Mercy to feed her a few sips of water. Before Mercy could finish, Sarah fell asleep.

Mercy stood and stretched. “Do you think she’ll endure the voyage, Doctor?”

“With you watching over her, I have a feeling she’ll be just fine.”

Her cheeks flushed at his words of praise, and she buried her fingers into the folds of her skirt, twisting the blue material. “I best be checking on the other girls and making sure they’re getting their rations.”

Before he could respond, several taps drew him to the door.

He opened it to reveal a tall, dour-faced woman. “Good morning, Doctor. I’m looking for two of my charges. I’ve been informed they are likely in your company.”