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Good evening and welcome to the sleepy bookshelf,

where we put down our worries from the day and pick up a good book.

I'm Elizabeth, your host.

Thank you so much for coming to listen this evening.

Tonight we are continuing with Rainbow Valley.

But, before we open our book,

take some time here for yourself to breathe and relax.

Have a big stretch

and release any tension you might be holding in your muscles. Think about how your body feels and allow yourself to relax.

Next, take a deep breath in. Hold it for a moment and exhale, breathing out all your worries and concerns.

Once more now. Inhale, hold this moment, and exhale. Wonderful. Faith was on her way to find Mrs. Blythe to get some sympathy for the murder of her poor rooster.

When she came upon Rosemary West in the valley, she told her that Mrs. Blythe was away from home, but that she would listen if Faith wanted to talk.

That night at dinner, Reverend Meredith was delighted to hear Faith, speaking so fondly of her new friend, Miss West,

and was even more determined on his mission that evening.

Ellen would be away from home, and it was the perfect opportunity to ask Rosemary to marry him.

However, Rosemary and Ellen had anticipated this, after the Reverend's face had lit up, when they had told him that Ellen would be out of the house.

The West girls lost their father when they were three and thirteen.

Then their twelve-year-old brother died five years later. They had both had their losses romantically,

Rosemary's bow dying at sea, and Ellen having had a quarrel with the fiery Norman Douglas.

Their mother was chronically ill, and when she too passed away ten years ago, Ellen fell into a deep depression, only broken by Rosemary, when she promised never to marry and to always live with her sister.

Rosemary was preparing to turn the Reverend down, but when he made his proposal, she found

...