“Vancouver Island and British Columbia are an ocean away from Australia and quite a bit farther north.”

She shifted in her chair and stared at the mug, the fresh pink in her cheeks indicating her mortification at her mistake.

He held out his hand and used his finger to sketch an island. “Here’s Great Britain.” He drew a line to the opposite side. “Here are the continents of North and South America.”

Almost shyly, she shifted to watch his inkless drawing and followed as he traced their journey across the Atlantic, down the coast of South America, around the Falkland Islands at the tip, and then back up the other side until they reached the far reaches of the United States.

“Vancouver Island is just a short distance away from Washington Territory, so close, in fact, that you can see the Olympic Mountains. While Vancouver Island and British Columbia are separate English colonies, I’ve heard the two have much in common.”

Joseph lost track of the time as he explained everything he’d read and learned about the Pacific Northwest, including the mild weather that was similar to England, the recent discovery of gold in the mountains along the Fraser River, the rich history of the fur trade and the Hudson’s Bay Company’s influence, the conflict with the natives, and the abundance of natural resources.

“I’m told the beauty is unparalleled,” he said. “I hope to have time to explore the region before the Tynemouth sets sail again.”

“What’ll you see first?” She watched him eagerly, almost as if she were planning to explore alongside him.

Before he could respond, the gruff call of a sailor down the deck interrupted him. Gully was lumbering toward them, his weathered old face creased with worry. “Mr. Allen done hurt his arm again. And he’s howlin’ worse than a newborn babe.”

Joseph stood slowly, reluctant to end his time with Mercy. To his surprise, she was already moving toward Gully, her firm steps every indication she planned to help him again.

A part of him knew he should resist, at the very least encourage her to rest a little longer. But he ignored the warning and the dangerous fact that he liked having her at his side.

twelve

Mercy leaned her head against her cabin door.

“Captain Hellyer has moved Miss Lawrence to special quarters amidships to lessen the motion.” Dr. Colville’s voice on the opposite side was confident yet compassionate.

Mercy’s chest had begun a strange motion of rising and falling the moment she’d heard Dr. Colville on the deck. And the longer she listened to him, the more her insides dipped.