The following is a rewriting of Safie’s arrival at the De Lacey family’s cottage in Chapter V (pages 87-88).

As I travelled on horseback to the De Lacey family’s cottage, I saw in the distance a figure that I instantly recognized as Agatha. I came closer, and the young girl said something to me in her foreign tongue. Not understanding her, I replied with my love’s name, “Felix,” and as if conjured, Felix himself came walking up alongside me. I could not contain my joy as I threw up my veil and exposed my identity to the faces I had longed to look upon for what seemed like years.

I felt my cheeks blush as I looked into the eyes of my love, and I watched his expression change from melancholy to hopeful as he recognized my face: his eyes became widened and animated; his cheeks blushed the same lively glow as my own; and his lips formed into the dazzling smile I had missed for so long. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I could not stop them from running down my cheeks. I was overcome with happiness at the fact that Felix was not upset to see me; I was so doubtful that he would greet me warmly after how my father had treated him!

He took my hand, helped me dismount, and led me to his father in the cottage. De Lacey embraced me, and I was again overcome with joy at their reaction to my arrival. I had suspected them to shun me away or to at least act with harshness toward me, but I was greeted with the love and affection that drew me to Felix in the first place.

We soon discovered that without my father’s servant to interpret for us, communicating was quite difficult. The words that I spoke, the little family could not understand, and the words that they spoke, I could not comprehend. We began gesturing and using signs to communicate, and Agatha repeatedly tried to tell me something. I think she was saying that Felix was sorrowful before I came to the cottage, and this intensified my yearning to learn French. After some time, Felix agreed to teach me using a book of his.

I am so glad that I made the decision to come here instead of to stay with my father! If I had stayed with him, I would have been stuck in the same lifestyle as my mother: inhibited by his religious beliefs and unable to make my own decisions. Despite my differences to the De Lacey family and our complicated past, I feel so accepted and loved here. I truly know that this is where I belong and I couldn’t be happier with how my life is transforming!

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