As the girls returned to the bunks and flopped themselves onto their thin mattresses, Mercy pressed her forehead against the cool wood of the door, not sure whether to feel embarrassed about the conversation or excited.

“There, there, Mr. Scott.” Mrs. Robb was still on the deck nearby, obviously waiting to speak again until the doctor was gone. “Don’t fret. You have nothing to worry about. A man of Lord Colville’s stature would never consider a woman of such low rank.”

“Very true, Mrs. Robb. Very true. At least not as a marriageable option.”

“You don’t think Lord Colville would attempt a—” Mrs. Robb paused and cleared her throat—“a dalliance with the girl?”

A dalliance? Mercy lifted her head. Was Mrs. Robb insinuating the doctor had an ulterior motive for requesting Mercy’s assistance?

“Lord Colville is a man of honor,” Mr. Scott replied almost too quietly for Mercy to hear. “But he is also just a man, after all.”

“Then we should reconsider our allowing any of the women near him. I made a vow to Miss Rye, to see that all the women in my charge remained chaste in body and soul.”

“As did I” came Mr. Scott’s solemn reply. “Still, we most certainly cannot refuse an esteemed and illustrious man such as Lord Colville.”

“Heaven save us.” Mrs. Robb’s voice was filled with horror. “Whatever shall we do?”

“We shall do all we can to oversee the situation, Mrs. Robb. And perhaps if Lord Colville is presented oft with my lovely daughters, they will serve to distract him from temptation.”

The voices grew distant as the two began walking down the deck. Even after their conversation wafted away altogether, Mercy couldn’t move herself from the door.

In all her interactions with Dr. Colville, he’d been kind, compassionate, and considerate, never giving her the slightest impression his motives were anything less than honorable. But then he had invited her to sit with him and had shared his coffee. Why would he do so unless he had some kind of interest in her?

Mrs. Robb and Mr. Scott were right in saying an important, wealthy man like Dr. Colville would never consider a woman of her station to be his wife. And that was perfectly fine by her. Even if she and Dr. Colville had been equally matched, nothing would affect her decision against marriage.

Unless Dr. Colville was contemplating something else entirely . . .

“Oho.” Ann whistled softly. “Do you think Lord Colville be wanting you as a mistress?”

“No!” Mercy spun and plunked her hands on her hips. Even if Ann had given voice to Mercy’s fear, she had no intention of letting such a fear grow into a reality. “That’s rot. All rot.”

“If he wanted me, I’d snatch him up quicker than a fogle hunter snatching a gold coin from a pocket.” The others laughed at Ann’s bold statement.