
A dim, vaulted hall stretches into shadow, its walls cloaked in velvet darkness and the faint glow of a solitary fire. The opening verses set a tone of restless wanderers seeking a fabled “House of Dreams‑Come‑True,” a place that feels both inviting and foreboding. Candlelight flickers over polished mahogany and glass, casting opalescent patterns that hint at hidden histories. The atmosphere is thick with a quiet, almost ghostly stillness that presses in like a tide.
Within this eerie elegance sit a young woman and a man whose likeness suggests a close, perhaps familial bond. Their conversation, half‑playful and half‑serious, turns to a sudden, unexpected invitation to England—a land the woman has never visited despite her English roots. The dialogue reveals yearning, secret histories, and a hint of a larger journey that lies ahead. As the fire crackles and the night deepens, the promise of adventure begins to stir, drawing listeners into a world where dreams and reality intertwine.
Language
en
Duration
~9 hours (548K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by David Widger from page images generously provided by the Internet Archive
Release date
2017-11-10
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

d. 1948
Best known for popular romantic fiction in the early 20th century, this English novelist reached a huge readership with emotionally charged stories such as The House of Dreams and The Hermit of Far End. Her books were widely read in Britain and beyond, blending love, duty, and dramatic turns of fate.
View all books