The Mercies

The women attend Sabbath service at the kirke, where Maren tries to observe the commissioner’s wife. Maren finds the commissioner handsome but cruel-looking. Absalom introduces himself to the group in faulty Norwegian and English, which Pastor Kurtsson translates roughly. Absalom describes his job as that of a judge and mediator. He asks for the names of the dead men for a census. Pastor Kurtsson points out that not all the women are in attendance, to which Absalom stonily responds that women will no longer be missing church.

The cold darkness of Vardø devastates Ursa. She immediately feels trepidatious: “Without a sunset Ursa feels untethered” (134). Absalom is also shocked by their new home. He reveals that he left a small town like Vardø to become successful in the big city; his new home feels like a step back.

Ursa senses that Absalom wants her to like him, which surprises her. For their first Sabbath service, Ursa dresses conservatively but regrets not making more of an effort with the other women; she wants to make friends. On the way back from kirke, Absalom—already angry that six women did not attend Sabbath—is enraged when he sees runes: pagan religious symbols. Maren’s mother, Freja, explains to him that Diinna is Sámi and made the symbols in honor of her deceased husband. Once home, Absalom orders Ursa to cook for him, but their food options are limited and Ursa expected to have a maid. Ursa grows increasingly lonely.

Maren is concerned about Diinna and Freja’s relationship. It was dangerous for Freja to reveal that Diinna is Sámi, a people native to the land but long driven out. Maren brings reindeer pelts to Ursa’s house for the floors. Ursa admits that the house frightens her because it is where the women laid the bodies of their dead men in preparation for burial. Ursa feels faint, and Maren figures out that Ursa doesn’t know how to get more water or bread for her home. Maren fetches water and bread from her own home, and Ursa invites her to join her to eat. Ursa asks Maren to help her become a wife by teaching her how to bake, cook, and clean.

Maren’s mother is upset that Maren has agreed to work for Ursa like a servant. Diinna again refuses to attend Sabbath but allows Maren to take baby Erik with her.

Absalom often leaves Ursa alone while he seeks out a meeting with other commissioners and the lensmann. When he leaves Ursa alone for a week, Maren starts to work for her. The women are awkward around one another, observing each other’s differences. Kirsten arrives with a delivery and is wearing men’s pants—a shocking and dangerous statement. Ursa realizes that Maren is afraid of Absalom and assures them that she won’t tell her husband about Kirsten’s pants.

Maren teaches Ursa how to make flatbrød, a bread so easy that “even a child could make it” (170). Ursa hugs Maren like a sister, but Maren “grows bolder, and tightens her grip about Ursa, feeling the softness of her shape beneath her fine dress” (172). By the end of their baking lesson, both Maren and Ursa want to prolong their time together.

Maren and Ursa stitch by the fire. Ursa asks if she can join Maren at a ladies’ gathering the villagers hold on Wednesdays, but Maren is reluctant: “It is childish to feel jealousy over such a new friendship. And there is the complication of having the commissioner’s wife in such an informal atmosphere” (179). Ursa pays Maren generously, but Maren worries that Ursa sees her as an employee rather than a friend. Maren gives most of the money to her mother but secretly keeps a few coins for her own stash. She falls asleep to more nightmares of water and whales.

Toril, the most conservatively pious woman in their community, says the commissioner would never visit Maren’s home, calling Erik Diinna’s “bastard.” Maren warns Diinna that Toril’s poor opinion of her could influence the commissioner. Maren worries that with the commissioner’s history of putting women on trial for witchcraft, he could turn against Diinna in dangerous ways. Maren’s mother speculates that Diinna will bring trouble onto herself through her own actions.

Maren hopes that the gathering on Wednesday will earn her more friends. Absalom’s early return surprises her. He tells her of a trial he oversaw on his trip; the courts now use King James’s book on uncovering proof of sorcery. He approves of Maren’s plan to meet with the other women because she can report to him on any suspicious behavior.

At the Wednesday meeting, Ursa meets Diinna for the first time and notes her differences: her dark skin, high cheekbones, and careless attitude towards the other women. Toril and Kirsten argue about Kirsten’s place in the meeting and her possibly poor representation of the women in front of the commissioner’s wife. Ursa speaks up to defend her husband when Kirsten implies his involvement in the execution of men in the village of Alta.

Maren walks Ursa back to her home, where the commissioner closes the door on Maren. Maren is disturbed by the arguments and angry departures that occurred at the meeting. Though the community is still traumatized by the loss of their men, Maren feels a change in mood: “[T]here has felt so little to exist for. But something has changed that; she feels it now, certain as seasons. Someone has changed that” (209).

At Sabbath service, Maren notices bruises on Ursa’s wrist. The next time Maren goes to work at Ursa’s house, Ursa reveals that Absalom is fine with Maren coming over because it means she’ll be out of the house where Diinna lives. Maren confronts Ursa about her bruises, but Ursa says Absalom doesn’t hurt her. Ursa asks Maren if she was married, and Maren lies to her, unwilling to talk about her dead fiancé, Dag. Maren continues to visit Ursa twice a week to teach her the skills of being a woman in Vardø. Maren and Ursa grow closer as they share stories from the past. Maren dreams of Dag’s voice expressing longing for her but issuing from Ursa’s mouth. Maren suspects that she is falling in love with Ursa.

Ursa distracts herself from sex with Absalom with thoughts of Maren. Ursa hopes she will become pregnant soon so that Absalom will stop having sex with her. Meanwhile, Absalom continues his trips to Alta, where more Sámi people are put on trial and burned. The lensmann finally invites Absalom and Ursa to his home. Ursa meets Lensmann Cunningham’s wife Christin, a charming and hospitable woman whose marriage was also arranged. The meeting with Lensmann Cunningham cheers Absalom up so much that he is affectionate and loving towards Ursa for the first time in their marriage.

While Ursa and Absalom are visiting, Lensmann Cunningham asks Ursa about the women of Vardø. He has heard that they have not considered remarrying and have started their own fishing expeditions. Cunningham insists he sent money to Kiberg with the understanding that the village would send food to the women in Vardø, eliminating the need to fish. Cunningham implies that the runes in Vardø summoned the horrible storm that killed their men.

Over dinner, Lensmann Cunningham reveals that Absalom has been chosen as commissioner for Vardø to investigate the threat of witchcraft evident throughout Finnmark. Ursa realizes Cunningham is talking about Diinna, whom he refers to by the derogatory term for Sámi people: Lapp. Cunningham boasts of the sorcerers and witches he has convicted; the details of the executions disturb Ursa.

Christin privately encourages Ursa to keep her distance from Maren, as well as to keep her separate from her husband (hinting that he might sleep with Maren). Christin implies that Cunningham has such affairs.

Ursa confronts Absalom about his involvement in the execution of a woman convicted of witchcraft. Absalom tells her of his childhood as the son of a shepherd and marvels that he has climbed so high in society. Absalom’s name means “Father of peace” and he genuinely wants to “rid the world of witches, so we can all live in God’s peace” (248). Absalom shows her letters from her father, which he has already opened. Ursa begs him to read them to her, and he does: There is no news from home, but they miss Ursa and are thinking of her.