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Chapter Six
Shortly after waking up the following day—after noon again to Sydney’s dismay—she met up with Susan and asked permission to make a picnic supper for herself and Lewis in the kitchen.
Susan nodded. “Of course. Hopefully you’ll find something you want to cook.”
“Well, I was thinking of just making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.”
“What’s peanut butter?”
“Oh, Susan, you haven’t had the privilege of eating peanut butter yet? Where’s the nearest store? I’ll go and buy some and bring enough for everyone. My bicycle is still right outside.”
Susan frowned at her. “I really don’t think you should ride your bicycle miles in this heat. Why don’t I have one of the twins take you instead? Thomas is always looking for ways to go into town so he can try to catch a glimpse of what’s happening in Hell’s Half Acre. I think I’ll send you with Walter.”
Sydney started to protest, but the truth was, she wasn’t looking forward to the ride anyway. It had to be five miles, and it was just so hot! “I’d like that if it’s no trouble.”
“None at all. I have some grape jelly I put up last year. Will that work for the jelly part of the sandwiches? We’ll bake some bread as soon as you get back.”
“Sounds wonderful. Thank you, Susan! I can’t believe how kind you’ve been to a total stranger who showed up at your doorstep.”
“Oh, that reminds me! I got a reply to my telegram from Elizabeth, thanking me for helping you out, and letting me know she won’t send anyone else to marry Randy Ranch. I still can’t believe that happened to you.” Susan looked around. “We should make some potato salad to go with the sandwiches. I haven’t made that in forever, and since it’s Mrs. Hackenschleimer’s day off, today is a good day. I’ll serve the family whatever we make for your picnic.”
Sydney smiled. “Oh, good. Then I can help with the family meal.”
“Yes, I’ll allow it just this once. We should make a couple of pies as well. Why not? It’s going to be a glorious day!”
“I like pie!” Sydney said. “I’ve never made it though because the orphans didn’t have dessert often. Not so much because there was no money for dessert but because there was no money for dentists.”
“Well, I’ll teach you. I canned some pie filling last fall. We could do apple, pumpkin, or cherry? Do you have a preference?” Susan looked excited to cook with her, and Sydney couldn’t be happier.
“Should I run and ask David if I can steal Walter to take me to town?” Sydney knew she should probably just start riding, but she had no desire to go that far on her bicycle. Not in the heat of the day. And it was only spring! Surely, she’d melt into a little puddle by the middle of the summer.
“Yes, tell David I said he has to be the one to go.” Susan shook her head. “Thomas is starting to worry me more than a little bit.”
“I’m sure he’ll turn out fine, just as his older brothers did.”
“I pray you’re right.”
Sydney hurried out to the corral outside the stable, finding David, Thomas, and Walter all working there. “Lewis is in the stable!” David called out to her.
Sydney opened her mouth to shout back, but she decided that wouldn’t be exactly ladylike, and she was trying to at least pretend she was a lady—well, if you ignored the bloomers and bicycle.
Instead, Sydney walked to David and told him Susan had told her to have Walter drive her into town. “I want to go!” one of the twins said, and she could only assume that one was Thomas. They did look identical.
“Your mother said Walter, so Walter is the one going.”
Thomas kicked a clump of dirt. “I never get to go anywhere.”
“You’re going to the church social on Saturday night, aren’t you?” Sydney asked.
“Yes, but I want to go to the Acre.”
“And that’s why Walter is driving her,” David said, shaking his head at his son. “Have you forgotten your Uncle Jesse died in the Acre?”
“No, but…I just want to see what happens there, and why I’m forbidden from going.”
David looked at his son for a moment. “Men drink, gamble, and purchase a few minutes with a whore there. Now you know.”
Walter had hurried away to hitch up the wagon while they were talking, so instead of stand there and argue with Thomas, Sydney hurried off in the direction of the carriage house. It seemed odd to her they needed a carriage house, but when she walked inside, she understood. There were four buggies inside, including two of what her mother would have called, ‘those dreadful courting buggies.’
