← Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories
Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories
A Restful Holiday at a Georgian Manor House
00:45:20
Narrated by Chloe. Jeanine enjoys a holiday with friends at a manor house by the sea, where she reads a novel about a woman named Elizabeth who is anticipating a long-awaited proposal.
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- [00:01]
Thomas
Get Sleepy is a production of Slumber Studios and is made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and Premium members. If you'd like to listen ad free and access weekly bonus episodes, extra long stories and our entire back catalogue, you can try out Premium free for seven days by following the link in the episode notes. Now a quick word from our sponsors.
- [00:29]
Chloe
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- [00:58]
Thomas
In case you didn't know, our company, Slumber Studios also has a sleep app called Slumber. With well over a thousand episodes, it has every type of sleep inducing content you could possibly want, from stories, meditations, audiobooks and history to soundscapes and music. New episodes are added each week and you can even search by narrator and listen exclusively to episodes narrated by me or by any of my wonderful fellow storytellers. Slumber has other unique features too, like the ability to add and adjust background sounds to create your own perfect mix. So I highly recommend you give Slumber a try. It's available in the Apple App Store and on Google Play, and as a Get Sleepy listener, you can unlock all of the content in the app. Free for one month. Just go to Slumber FM GetSleepy to get instant access to all of the content in slumber. Free for one month. That's Slumber FM GetSleepy. Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. My name's Thomas and it's such a pleasure to be your host. Tonight's story will be read by Chloe and it was written by Frankie. Thanks to both of you for your wonderful contributions. Old buildings hold stories in their stones, as Janine discovers while on vacation with some friends in a Georgian manor house. The story of a young woman who used to live in the house 200 years earlier melds into the present as history and memory blend into one in preparation for our journey through time. Let's begin by taking a few moments to relax our bodies and minds. Get yourself settled in adjusting anything necessary to achieve optimal comfort in your cozy bed. Our story takes place by the sea, so close your eyes and just begin to imagine a beautiful temperate beach. The sand is not the fine white dust of the tropics, but myriad multicolored specks. If you were to lift up a handful to the bright sunlight, they would glitter like gems. You lie on the beach, feeling the sand mould to the shape of your body. Every curve and joint is perfectly supported by the ground beneath you. Release your body into the support and allow your limbs to become heavy. The sun is falling on you, warming you to your bones. You can hear the waves nearby. The ebb and flow of the water is a tranquil rhythm that mirrors your breathing. As you inhale, the water creeps up the be and on your exhale it draws back out to sea, leaving a trail of white foam as delicate as lace on the gemstone sand. Take a few more breaths here, listening to the water and imagining the little waves. If your mind wanders to thoughts of the day, gently bring it back to the beach. See the color of the water. Admire the pattern of the sea foam and listen to the sound of the surf. Set back from the beach is a large manor house overlooking the small bay. Its huge windows reflect the sun. And standing looking out of one of these windows is Janine, ready to relax on a vacation with her friends. This is where our story begins.
- [07:27]
Chloe
Janine stands at the large bay window in the living room, admiring the view of the water in the early morning sun. She holds a china teacup to her nose and takes a deep inhale of the tantalising smell of coffee. She still can't believe that she's in such a beautiful house. Janine and several of her friends arrived at the house last night carrying bags of food and board games, ready for a long weekend of relaxation. They were lucky to find this beautifully kept Georgian manor house for rent. Out in the countryside. They are welcomed by the friendly man who owns the neighbouring sheep farm, which set an excellent tone for their sleepy weekend. Now it's the following morning and Janine is taking a quiet moment before the rest of her friends wake up, filling the house with laughter, chatter and the sounds of breakfast making. The water is particularly beautiful today. Janine notices the morning sun glitters on the soft waves like a million diamonds. Already she has seen the friendly farmer and his wife on a walk along the beach before they start their chores for the day. Janine pulls her gaze from the view and looks down at the table beside her. 1000 puzzle pieces are spread out on the table next to the lid of the puzzles box, bearing the image of a quaint cottage in a forest. Janine busies herself with picking out the side and corner pieces. By the time her Friends wake up. She has nearly completed the outline of the puzzle. She decides to take a break from puzzling and curls up in an overstuffed armchair next to the window, pulling out her book for the weekend. Janine thought it would be the perfect kind of reading for this getaway, as it is set during the Georgian era in house, the very much like this one. She opens the book and begins to read. It is 1808 and Lady Elizabeth Austen sits at the dining table inhaling the scent of her coffee. As she does so, so she admires the blue floral pattern on the china cup. She knows it is the one her mother received as a wedding gift. Elizabeth pushes the thought of marriage from her head, not wanting to make herself more nervous. Today. She looks down the table at her mother and father, who are talking together conspiratorially. She glances away quickly, knowing they are probably discussing the very subject she is attempting to avoid thinking about. Her attempts are unsuccessful when she accidentally catches the eye of her brother Henry. He waggles his eyebrows at her meaningfully and she cannot help but smile ruefully. Today, Elizabeth and her family are waiting for the arrival of a very special guest who will hopefully ask Elizabeth a long awaited question. In order to distract herself, Elizabeth asks to be excused. She walks quickly from the room, headed for her sanctuary. The library of the house has always been the place where Elizabeth has gone when she needs to be alone, clear her head, or just hide away. She immediately goes to her favourite chair and picks up the book on the little table next to it. She takes out the ribbon she uses as a bookmark and buries herself in the story to quiet her excited mind. Janine's attention is drawn away from Elizabeth's story when her friend Kate pokes her head into the living room and tells her that they are starting to make breakfast. Janine puts her book down and jumps up, ready to help. All of the friends are in the large kitchen. A few are sitting at the long scrubbed wooden table while the others are chopping, washing and prepping. Janine jumps right in, taking charge of the coffee station. She keeps a constant supply of coffee coming, making sure there is sweetener and various kinds of milk available for everyone. A few people want tea, so she makes a pot. As she darts around refilling here and there. The kitchen buzzes with activity like a beehive in spring. Some people are cooking, frying bacon and sausage, making scrambled eggs and flipping pancakes. A couple of people are in the large scullery just off the kitchen, washing pots, pans and utensils. As they come. One or two people are darting around the various stations, ferrying ingredients and utensils here or there. Everywhere, people are laughing and talking excitedly. When the food is ready, everyone sits around the large table together. They pass plates overloaded with hot food from person to person. Compliments and thanks for the food are volleyed back and forth by cooks, helpers, people and eaters alike. Plans for the day are devised, edited, adjusted, and settled over the course of the meal. Everyone agrees that despite the cool autumn temperature, the water looks too good to resist. Once everyone's appetites are sated, the cleanup crew is assembled. Anyone who didn't cook now clears the table like a choreographed dance. Several people wave Janine away when she tries to help, saying she has done enough. Retreating under the force of their kindness, Janine goes back to the living room. She decides to read for a while longer, more than a little excited to jump back into Elizabeth's story. As if by a sixth sense, Elizabeth looks up from her book a second before she hears the loud knock on the front door. While the guest is being greeted and his coat is being taken off him, Elizabeth hurriedly puts her book down and rushes to the sitting room. Her mother is already sitting on a couch, a poorly hidden smile on her face as she puts down her sewing. Henry smirks at Elizabeth as she sits down nervously. Elizabeth's father is greeting the long awaited guest. Elizabeth can hear the deep rumble of his voice coming from the entry hall. Elizabeth is certain that she will explode with nerves when the door to the living room opens and her father leads in. Lord William Knight. William bows in greeting to the rest of the family before taking a seat on the other end of the sofa from Elizabeth. They make pleasant conversation as the tea is brought in. Elizabeth knows that she and William need to spend an appropriate amount of time in the company of her family before he can ask her to go on a walk with him. She both welcomes and dreads the moment when he does. William, though surely as nervous as Elizabeth, seems not to show it. He charms her parents as always and makes her brother laugh heartily. Elizabeth admires the easy way with which he spends time with her family. It is one of the many things she has grown to love about him over the course of their courting. Elizabeth sips her tea deep in thought as the conversation moves around her. A warm voice brings her from her reverie as she hears William utter her name. She looks at him, suddenly nervous all over again. Janine's book snaps shut. She looks up into the smiling face of Kate, who has snatched her book to tell her the rest of the group is getting ready to go for a swim. Janine sighs, excited for the swim, but equally disappointed that she must put Elizabeth's story on hold. Just as it's starting to get particularly exciting. She and Kate race upstairs for their bathing costumes and towels. By the time they come back down, the rest of their friends are crowded in the entry hall, putting on as many layers as possible. They all look at one another, openly questioning whose idea it was to go for a swim in November, but all equally excited. They file out of the large double front doors, past the columns, and down the stairs to the grounds. They walk around the house and to the beach, everyone giddy as school children. They line up on the shore, no one wanting to be the first person to face the cool air and make a break for the water. Finally, Janine counts down from three, throws off her coat, and runs into the waves. She can hear her friends following behind her. Everyone shouts with laughter as they hit the cold water. Janine dives in, allowing the rush of adrenaline and energy that comes with the cold plunge to fill her body up. She stays in the water for no more than five minutes, but she can already feel her body adjusting. As she and her friends get out, they revel in the waves of joy that wash over them. They all race back to the house, each one eager for a cosy place next to the fire. Janine gets inside, changes into some comfortable clothes, and heads straight for her chair and book. Her friends ask her if she wants to play some games with them, but Janine tells them that she might be interested a little later. For now she has to know what happens with Elizabeth and William. William's kind eyes seem to pin Elizabeth to the spot as he asks her if she would like to take a walk with him along the beach. With her heart in her mouth, Elizabeth is only able to nod and smile shyly. Elizabeth's parents tactfully turn their attention to other activities as Elizabeth stands to follow William from the room. Henry, however, winks at her as she walks by, and she cannot help but smile at her brother. Once they are outside, William offers Elizabeth his arm, which she takes graciously. Her heart beats so loudly in her chest that she's worried he might hear it. As they walk the familiar path towards the beach. They walk in silence for a few minutes, taking in the view of the little bay. They have walked together many times before, but this walk seems to be heavy with the weight of expectation. Without thinking about it, their feet turn left as they hit the beach and lead them towards the tiny cottage not far along the shore. William's family has been friends of Elizabeth's for years. When they were children, Elizabeth, William and Henry used to spend hours on on the beach, collecting stones and playing at being pirates. Elizabeth lets those warm, happy memories wash over her as she walks arm in arm with William. Now their eyes meet and she knows immediately that he is thinking of their childhood as well. They smile shyly at one another. Elizabeth glances back towards the house and catches a glimpse of three figures watching them with their faces pressed up against the large bay windows. Elizabeth blushes with wildly and hopes desperately that William doesn't look back. The young couple come around a bend on the shore and end up in front of a small stone cottage. The cottage has sat on this beach for even longer than Elizabeth's house. They have been inside many times, both as children and adults. The little cottage was built long ago by a shepherd for his wife. It served as the home to many generations until it fell into disrepair. Elizabeth's father bought it and fixed it up, allowing Elizabeth and the other children to use it as a playhouse. Sometimes on summer nights, Elizabeth and her family will walk out here. Her father will light a fire in the outdoor fire pit and they will tell stories. It was one such evening several years ago that Elizabeth realized she bore feelings for William that were more than just a childhood friendship. They stop in front of the cottage and William takes Elizabeth's hands. They look at one another for a few moments, both holding their breath. Finally, the bubble of tension bursts and they both devolve into giggles. They laugh together as they did as children, all stiffness and nerves disappearing on the breeze with the sounds of their mirth. When the giggling subsides, William barely opens his mouth before Elizabeth interrupts him simply to say, yes, of course. William pulls a little box from his pocket, opens it and places the delicate ring on her finger. They stay there, holding one another and watching the surf for a long while. They know that words would not do their feelings of immense joy justice, so they allow the silence to say it for them. Janine closes her book with satisfaction. She stands up and stretches, reveling in a few moments of sharing William and Elizabeth's happiness. She wanders over to where Kate and the others are working on the jigsaw puzzle. A lot of progress has been made since since the morning, but there is still a long way to go. They joke and laugh as they attempt to finish their puzzle. Janine takes a break after a while and wanders to the huge bookshelves in the she remembers a reference by the friendly farmer to a book that tells the history of the house. Janine scans the spines until she finds the one she's looking for. Her friends, also interested in the house, ask her to read aloud. She reads about when the house was built during the 16th century, the renovations made over time, and the various people who owned the land. Janine flips through, admiring the photos of the house and noticing the way it has changed. She pauses over a picture of a small stone cottage. The caption tells of how this cottage was built long before the manor house, and it can still be seen just down the beach. There's a local legend that the cottage was built by a shepherd for his wife, who wanted to live where the sound of the ocean could lull her to sleep. Janine shows the picture to Kate and explains that it is very similar to the one described in the book she just read about Elizabeth and William. Kate suggests that they go explore, and the two friends quickly pull on their coats before heading to the beach. They turn left at the shore and walk arm in arm. It is not long until they come to a little stone cottage with a small fire pit out front. Excited by their discovery, the women race back to the manor house. Barely wasting time to explain, they gather the rest of their friends and some firewood before leading the way back to the cottage. A few people had enough foresight to bring snacks, while others get a fire started. Some people look for pretty rocks on the beach in the setting sunlight, while others tell stories around the fire. The group of friends drift to places around the fire while the sky fades from orange to the deep blue of night. Stars begin to appear like glittering fairies. The friends point out constellations to one another, telling the myths associated with them or making up their own. The fire crackles cheerfully, bathing each smiling face in a warm light and making their eyes glitter. A few people start singing songs to the percussion of clapping hands. Janine and Kate get up to dance together around the fire. They collapse in a pile of laughter. When the song ends, people start to take turns telling stories. Some are true stories of funny things that have happened to them lately. Others are completely made up stories with increasingly more ridiculous plotlines. All the while, the sea and the stars bear witness to their fun. Kate calls for Janine to tell them a story, and the others cheer their support. Janine looks from the faces of her friends to the dark sea to the little cottage. She smiles widely and begins to tell the story of a young woman named Elizabeth, waiting for a very special guest.
- [37:50]
Kate
Sa sa sa sa sa sa sa sa sa sa sa sa sa sa sa sa sa sa sa.