
LAVENDER AND OLD LACE
By Myrtle Reed
I. The Light in the Window
II. The Attic
III. Miss Ainslie
IV. A Guest
V. The Rumours of the Valley
VI. The Garden
VII. The Man Who Hesitates
VIII. Summer Days
A young woman arrives in a quiet, countryside town to spend the summer at her aunt’s venerable home, a place where lavender blooms and old lace drapes the windows. The journey there, in a rattling carriage driven by a good‑natured but outspoken driver, introduces a cast of quirky characters—talkative horses with endearing names and a sprightly maid eager to help. From the moment she steps onto the porch, the house’s faded elegance and the surrounding hills promise a season of gentle discovery and subtle humor.
Inside, the protagonist settles into a world of creaking floors, handwritten letters sealed with red wax, and the lingering scent of herbs that seem to hold memories of those who have lived there. As she navigates the house’s quirks and the townsfolk’s colorful manners, she begins to uncover the quiet rhythms of rural life, finding comfort in the simple rituals that bind past and present. The story invites listeners to linger in a setting where every detail, from a horse’s whinny to a lace‑trimmed curtain, feels warmly familiar.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (264K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Dianne Bean, and David Widger
Release date
1998-04-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1874–1911
Best known for warm, sentimental novels like Lavender and Old Lace, this Chicago-born writer also worked as a poet and journalist and published cookbooks under the pen name Olive Green.
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by Myrtle Reed

by Myrtle Reed

by Myrtle Reed

by Myrtle Reed

by Myrtle Reed

by Myrtle Reed

by Myrtle Reed

by Myrtle Reed