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“Oh, Lord. She even speaks like Lewis does about children.”
“He wants a lot?” Sydney asked, wanting to know so much more about Lewis without asking outright. She didn’t want them to know she was interested in him because they would redouble their efforts to get her and Lewis married off then.
Alice nodded. “He wants an even dozen at least. That’s what he says anyway.”
“Do you want a lot of children, Alice?” Sydney tried again to steer the subject away from her and Lewis.
“I’d like several. Right after Rachel was born, I decided no more, but I can’t keep to that.” Alice shrugged. “And apparently my husband and I can’t keep our hands to ourselves, so there will be more babies.”
Susan nodded. “Just like his father. I’m sure Lewis will be similar.”
“I guess it’s nice knowing they don’t stray when looking for affections,” Sydney said.
After clearing the table together, Susan sent Sydney home with Alice. “Show her your house, and you two have some fun while the baby naps.”
Alice nodded. “Absolutely. Come see my house.”
Sydney didn’t argue. Instead, she followed her friend out the door and toward another part of the ranch. “Do you live on the same ranch?”
Alice shook her head. “No, but we live on an adjacent property. Albert is buying up as much property as he can so we can run more cattle. Our herd is already one of the biggest in the area, but he tells me we need more. I’m just glad I’m not the one having to build all the fences and do the real work. It’s nice to just stay at home and do the housework and cook.”
“Tell me about chicken and dumplings,” Sydney said. “I’ve seen them, but never eaten them. Are they as good as the orphans said they were?”
Alice frowned. “Your mother not eating chicken has really made you miss out on some awfully tasty food.”
“I guess it has.”
Alice described chicken and dumplings to Sydney, and Sydney was excited to try them. “I can’t wait!”
“I’ll make a cake as well. Everyone loves cakes.”
“I do love cakes.” Her mother had been against her eating sweets as well. She’d always been worried she’d gain weight.
“Then we’ll have one.” They walked some distance before Alice opened the door to a small house. “This is my house.”
Sydney stepped inside to find a house perfectly in order. There didn’t seem to be a speck of dirt anywhere. “Is your house always this clean?” she asked, trying to look in every direction at once.
Alice grinned. “I don’t have enough children to keep me terribly busy yet, so I clean. It keeps me doing something. When I finish cleaning, I head over to Susan’s, and we spend the rest of the day sewing, or I help her with her chores. Being a housewife is rather lonely work.”
“But it’s good here because you have each other? I’m starting to understand why you want me to marry Lewis so badly. You want another friend around.”
“Another sister,” Alice said with a smile. “I do think you and Lewis will be good together though. Did he kiss you?”
Sydney blushed. “What kind of question is that?”
“One that doesn’t need to be answered now that I see your blush. Tell me, did it make your toes curl?”
For a moment, Sydney considered denying it, but she decided she wanted the other woman’s advice too much. “It did. Is that normal?”
Alice laughed. “It’s normal when it’s the right man. Right after we were married a man decided he wanted me instead of his own wife. Long story, but he tried to kiss me. I wanted to vomit because the very thought of him kissing me made me sick to my stomach. Albert is the right man, without a doubt.”
“And because my toes curled, Lewis is the right man?”
“I think so. You need to see if you can stand to be in one another’s presence of course, but failing hostility between you, I’d say he’s the man you should marry.”
“I will think on that. Thanks for being honest with me.”
“No problem. We’re best friends, remember? You can ask me anything.”
