Milly Darrell and Other Tales by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon
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page 11 of 143 (07%)
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'O dear, no,' she answered; 'he lives nearly a hundred miles away,
in a very wild part of Yorkshire, not far from the sea. But Thornleigh--that is the name for our house--is a dear old place, and I like our bleak wild country better than the loveliest spot in the world. I was born there, you see, and all my happy memories of my childhood and my mother are associated with that dear old home.' 'Is it long since you lost your mother?' 'Ten years. I loved her so dearly. There are some subjects about which one dare not speak. I cannot often trust myself to talk of her.' I liked her better after this. At first her beauty and her handsome dress had seemed a little overpowering to me; I had felt as if she were a being of another order, a bright happy creature not subject to the common woes of life. But now that she had spoken of her own sorrows, I felt that we were upon a level; and I stole my hand timidly into hers, and murmured some apology for my previous rudeness. 'You were not rude, dear. I know I must have seemed very intrusive when I disturbed you; but I could not bear to hear you crying like that. And now tell me where you sleep.' I described the room as well as I could. 'I know where you mean,' she said; 'it's close to my room. I have the privilege of a little room to myself, you know; and on half- holidays I have a fire there, and write my letters, or paint; and |
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