She hadn’t spoken to him for several days, not since the morning after the gale in the Channel. Yet she couldn’t stop thinking about the kindness he’d shown to the passengers in steerage. That he’d gone down there at all to aid their discomfort was out of the ordinary, to be sure. She suspected most doctors would’ve let the poor passengers tend to their own needs.

Aye, he’d been tender and efficient with the sick, but he’d done much more than care for their ailments. He’d allowed a mother with a sick babe an extra ration of milk, gave a handful of marbles to a group of children, and found a cane for a man who’d sprained his ankle. He never once spoke harshly but displayed great patience. In fact, he interacted almost as if he considered himself one of the steerage passengers, never putting on airs nor speaking with a condescending tone. As a result, she’d seen the respect and admiration on their faces. No doubt it mirrored her own.

As much as she was tempted to crack open her cabin door and peek at him, she let the weight of her body hold the door closed and prevent her from acting foolishly. He might have appreciated her help during the recent storm, and he might have taken a few moments on the deck to pull up a chair and talk with her when the others were too sick to keep him company, but that didn’t mean he wanted to make a regular practice of mingling with her.

“Our captain is indeed most gracious” came Mr. Scott’s voice. “We are beholden to him for his kindness. As we are to you too, Lord Colville.”

The girls crowded at the door with Mercy, eager for any news that would break the monotony of their days confined to the cabin—except for the short periods their chaperones allowed them to walk outside on their small stretch of deck.

She ought to tell the girls to move away from the door and stop trying to listen to the conversation outside, but how could she rebuke her charges for eavesdropping when she was doing the same?

“As Miss Lawrence is still not eating or drinking,” the doctor continued, “the captain and I are growing increasingly concerned.”

“Such a shame, such a shame,” Mr. Scott remarked.

“Can you save her, Lord Colville?” Mrs. Robb asked at the same time.

Mercy tried to picture Miss Lawrence’s face from among the fancy ladies of their group, but they rarely mingled with or spoke to any of the poor women.

“I shall continue to do my best,” Dr. Colville said. “But as I am unable to be with her at all times, I’m requesting that one of your other women nurse Miss Lawrence.”

“The women aren’t allowed beyond the ropes,” Mrs. Robb stated.