Read "A Fatal Silence, Vol. 1 (of 3)" by Florence Marryat online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
ALL DOUBT DISPELLED.
Paula, on the contrary, happy to be once more in her mother's arms, slept soundly, and dreamt of a possible future. All her anxieties and doubts were smoothed away, as she thought she was wandering with her lover over a range of thyme-scented hills, whilst he pointed out to her the glories of the rising sun, as typical that the shadows of her young life had passed away. Mrs Sutton heard her murmur ‘dear Hal' in her sleep with a fervency she had never used towards anyone in her waking hours, and sighed to think how much her affections seemed to be involved on behalf of this unknown young man, who might, after all, refuse to fulfil the engagement he had made with her. But Paula slept on, with a serene smile upon her face. Her hand was clasped in that of Hal Rushton; his arm was round her waist; his eyes were looking into hers. Peace and protection were her portion. She would have liked to have dreamed on so for ever. But the bright summer sun streamed into the latticed panes of the cottage window and waked her early. The first sounds that met her ear, as she languidly opened her eyes, were -- ‘Ga, ga, bah, ow.'