Hello.
Welcome to Sleep Stories with Steph,
Your go-to romantic podcast that guarantees you a calm and entertaining transition into a great night's sleep.
Come with me as we immerse ourselves in a romantic journey to a time long since forgotten.
Emily Bronte was born in Yorkshire in 1818 and along with her brother and sisters Anne and Charlotte wrote from childhood onwards.
Wuthering Heights is the story she is best remembered for.
But before we begin let's take a moment to focus on where we are now.
Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out with a long sigh.
That's it.
Now close your eyes and feel yourself sink deeper into the support beneath you.
It is time to relax and fully let go.
There is nothing you need to be doing now and nowhere you need to go.
Happy listening.
Chapter 19 A letter etched with black,
Continued Nellie,
Announced the day of my master's return.
Isabella was dead and he wrote to me to bid to get mourning for his daughter and arrange a room and other accommodations for his youthful nephew.
Catherine ran wild with joy at the idea of welcoming her father back and indulged most sanguine anticipations of the innumerable excellencies of her real cousin.
The evening of their expected arrival came.
Since early morning she'd been busy ordering her small affairs and now attired in her new black frock.
She obliged me by constant worrying to walk with her down through the grounds to meet them.
Linton is just six months younger than I am,
She chattered,
As we strolled leisurely over the swells and hollows and mossy turf under the shadow of the trees.
How delightful it will be to have him for a playfellow.
Aunt Isabella sent Papa a beautiful lock of his hair.
It was lighter than mine,
More flaxen and quite as fine.
I have it carefully preserved in a little glass box and I've often thought what a pleasure it would be to see its owner.
Oh,
I'm so happy.
And Papa,
Dear Papa,
Come Ellen,
Let us run,
Come run.
She ran and returned and ran again many times before my sober footsteps reached the gate and then she seated herself on the grassy bank beneath the path and tried to wait patiently,
But that was impossible.
She couldn't be still a minute.
How long they are,
She exclaimed.
I see some dust on the road,
Are they coming?
No,
When will they be here?
May we not go a little way?
Half a mile,
Ellen,
Only half a mile.
Do say yes to that clump of birches at the turn.
I refused staunchly and at length Kathy's suspense was ended,
The travelling carriage rolled in sight.
Miss Kathy shrieked and stretched out her arms as soon as she caught her father's face looking from the window.
He descended nearly as eager as herself and a considerable interval elapsed.
Here they had a thought to spare for anyone but themselves.
While they exchanged caresses,
I took a peep in to see after Linton.
He was asleep in a corner wrapped in a fur lined cloak as if it had been winter.
A pale,
Delicate,
Effeminate boy who might have been taken from my master's younger brother,
So strong was the resemblance,
But there was a sickly peevishness in his aspect that Edgar Linton never had.
The latter saw me looking and having shaken hands advised me to close the door and leave him undisturbed for the journey had fatigued him.
Kathy would fain have taken one glance but her father told her to come on and they walked together up the park while I hastened before to prepare the servants.
Now darling,
Said Mr Linton addressing his daughter as they halted at the bottom of the steps,
Your cousin is not so strong or merry as you are and he's lost his mother,
Remember,
A very short time since.
Therefore don't expect him to run and play with you directly and don't harass him much by talking.
Let him be quiet this evening at least,
Will you?
Yes,
Yes papa,
Answered Katherine,
But I do want to see him and he hasn't once looked out.
The carriage stopped and the sleeper being roused was lifted to the ground by his uncle.
This is your cousin Kathy,
Linton,
He said putting their little hands together.
She is fond of you already and mind you don't grieve her by crying tonight.
Try to be cheerful now,
The travelling's at an end and you have nothing to do but rest and amuse yourself as you please.
Let me go to bed then,
Answered the boy shrinking from Katherine's salute and he put his fingers to his eyes to remove incipient tears.
Come,
Come there's a good child,
I whispered leading him in,
You'll make her weep too,
See how sorry she is for you.
I don't know whether it was sorry for him but his cousin put on a sad accountance as himself and she returned to her father.
Then all three entered and mounted to the library where tea was laid ready.
At first Kathy sat silent but that could not last.
She'd resolved to make a little pet of her cousin,
Stroking his curls,
Kissing his cheek and offering him tea and a saucer like a baby.
This pleased him for he was not much better.
He dried his eyes and lightened into a faint smile.
Oh he'll do very well,
Said the master to me after watching them a minute.
If we can keep him,
Ellen,
The company of a child of his own age will instill new spirit into him soon and by wishing for strength he'll gain it.
Ah if we can keep him,
I'm used to myself.
So all misgivings came over me there was a slight hope of that.
And then I thought to myself how will that weakling live at mothering heights between his father and Hairton,
What playmates and instructors they'll be.
Our doubts were presently decided even earlier than I expected I'd just taken the children upstairs and seen Linton to sleep.
I'd come down and was standing by the table in the hall light in a bedroom candle when a maid stepped out of the kitchen and informed me Mr Heathcliff's servant Joseph was at the door.
I shall ask him first what he wants,
I said in a considerable trepidation.
A very unlikely hour to be troubling people and the instant they've returned from a long journey I don't think the master can see him.
Joseph had advanced through the kitchen as I uttered those words and he now presented himself at the hall.
He was donned in his Sunday garments with his most sanctimonious and sourish face and holding his hat in one hand and his stick in the other he proceeded to clean his shoes on the mat.
Heathcliff has sent me for the lad,
I won't go back without him,
He said.
Edgar Linton who came in was silent a minute.
He would have pitied the child on his own account but recalling Isabella's hopes and fears and anxious wishes for her son and her commendations of him to his care he grieved bitterly at the prospect of yielding him up and he searched in his heart how it might be avoided.
But no plan offered itself.
The very exhibition of any desire to keep him would have rendered the claimant more preemptory.
There was nothing left but to resign him.
However Mr Linton would not rouse him from his sleep.
Tell Mr Heathcliff,
He answered calmly,
That his son shall come to Wuthering Heights tomorrow.
He is in bed and too tired to go the distance now.
You may also tell him the mother of Linton desired him to remain under my guardianship and at present his health is very precarious.
Nah,
Said Joseph given a thud with his prop on the floor and assuming an authoritative air.
Nah,
That man's not.
Heathcliff may now come to mother for your Norva but he'll have his lad and I'll take him.
So now you know.
You shall not take him tonight,
Answered Heathcliff decisively.
Walk downstairs at once and repeat to your master what I have said,
Joseph.
Ellen,
Show him down.
Go.
And aiding the indignant elder with a lift by the arm,
Mr Linton read the room of him and closed the door.
By well,
Shouted Joseph as he slowly drew off.
Come on,
He'll come on his own and frost him out if you dare.
