Thanks for listening tonight. If you'd like to listen ad free and get access to exclusive bonus episodes, check out our Sleepy Bookshelf premium feed in the show notes.

Good evening and welcome to the Sleepy Bickshelf, where we put down our worries from the day and pick up a good book.

I'm your host, Elizabeth, and it is wonderful to be here with you this evening.

Tonight we will be continuing with a room with a view. But first,

as the evening settles gently around you, allow yourself to grow a little quieter with each breath.

Picture your day folding itself away like pages closing at the end of a book.

Breathe in slowly and breathe out with ease. There is nothing you need to hold on to right now.

No plans to follow. No questions to answer. Just the steady comfort of this moment.

The stillness gathering around you and the peaceful story waiting to carry you to sleep.

During the carriage ride through the hills above Florence, Lucy found herself once again in the company of George Emerson,

despite her determination to avoid him.

The mismatched group argued over art, tourists, and social conventions,

while their reckless young driver flirted openly with a girl he had claimed

was his sister.

Mr. Eager condemned the pair's behaviour and eventually forced the girl to leave the carriage,

while Mr Emerson defended the young couple, insisting that happiness

should never be separated by rules or propriety. Later, while the others wandered the hillside,

searching for the perfect artistic viewpoint, Lucy was escorted into the woods

by the driver whom she thought she had asked to show her the clergyman. Surrounded by violets

and sunlight, she stumbled into a hidden terrace where George Emerson stood alone among the

flowers. Seeing Lucy emerge, looking so ethereal in her white linen dress, he turned toward her

and kissed her.

...