Tired of annoying ads like this one.

Listen to send me to sleep ad-free by signing up to a seven-day free trial in the description.

As well as ad-free episodes, you'll get exclusive stories, such as Sherlock and Mycroft,

Winnie the Pooh, The Metamorphosis, and many more.

Sign up today and cancel any time.

Thanks for your support. And now for tonight's story.

Welcome to send me to sleep. The place to find relaxing stories for a good night's rest.

My name's Andrew. Thanks for joining me.

Tonight, I'll be starting a new story.

The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery.

First published in 1926, this story tells the tale of Valency Sterling,

a timid and submissive young woman living a life that is stifled by her overbearing family,

who one day receives some shocking news that would alter the course of her life forever.

A deeply emotional and philosophical story, the Blue Castle explores the true nature of what it means to be alive,

whilst being filled with the charm, wit and humour we know to expect

from Montgomery's work. This story contains themes of illness and death, though some of the

language has been lightly edited to make it more suitable for sleep.

Before we begin tonight's story, let's take a moment to get ourselves ready for sleep.

Start by taking a deep, relaxing breath.

And settle your body in whatever way feels most comfortable. Now let any thoughts of the day drift away from your mind

and simply follow the sound of my voice.

So let your eyes fall heavy and your breath soften as we settle in for a peaceful night's sleep. Chapter 1 If it had not rained on a certain May morning, Valencia Sterling's whole life would have been entirely different.

...