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It was July and very hot． The atmosphere of the flat valley hung like a drug over the dairy people， the cows and the trees． It was Sunday morning after milking． Tess and the other three girls dressed quickly to go to Mellstock Church，which was three or four miles away from Talbothays． Heavy thunderstorms had poured down the day before， but today the sun shone brightly and the air was warm and clear．When the girls reached the lowest part of the road to Mellstock， they found it was flooded． In working clothes and boots they would have walked through， but they were wearing Sunday white stockings and thin shoes which they did not want to ruin． The church bell was calling， still a mile away．

Suddenly they saw Angel Clare approaching． He had seen them from far away， and had come to help them， one of them in particular．

‘I'll carry you through the water， all of you，’he offered．All four blushed as if they had one heart．

‘Now， Marian， put your arms round my shoulders． Hold on！’ and Angel walked off with her in his arms． Next was lzz Huett．Her lips were dry with emotion． Angel returned for Retty． While he was picking her up， he glanced at Tess． He could not have said more plainly，‘ It will soon be you and I．’There was an understanding between them．

It was now Tess's turn． He picked her up． She was embarrassed to discover her excitement at his nearness．

‘Three plain girls to get one beauty，’he whispered．

‘They are better women than I，’ she said bravely．

‘Not to me，’ said Angel． She blushed． There was silence．Clare stood still and bent his face to hers．

‘Oh Tessy！’he said． Her cheeks were pink and she could not look into his eyes． But he respected her modesty and did nothing more． He walked slowly， however， to make the journey as long as possible， and put her down on dry land． Her friends were looking with round thoughtful eyes at them．He said goodbye and went back by the road．

The four walked on together． Marian broke the silence by saying，‘No， we have no chance against her！’She looked joylessly at Tess．

‘What do you mean？’asked Tess．

‘He likes you best， the very best！We saw as he brought you over． He'd have kissed you if you had encouraged him， only a little．’

They were no longer cheerful but they were not bitter．They were generous country girls who accept that such things happen．Tess's heart ached．She knew that she loved Angel Clare， perhaps all the more passionately because the others also loved him．And yet that same hungry heart of hers pitied her friends．

‘I will never stand in your way！’ she cried to them that evening in the bedroom．‘I don't think he's thinking of marrying， but even if he asked me， I'd refuse him， as I'd refuse any man．’

‘Oh why？’they asked．

‘I cannot marry！ But I don't think he will choose any of you．

So the girls remained friends． They all shared each other's secret． The air in their bedroom was full of their hopeless passion． There was a flame burning the inside of their hearts out． But because they had no hope， they were not jealous of each other．They had even heard that Angel's family were planning for him to marry a neighbour's daughter． Tess no longer attached any importance to Clare's interest in her．It was a passing summer attraction， nothing more．

The heat grew steadily greater． In this stormy atmosphere even a passing attraction would deepen into love． Everything in nature was ready for love．Clare became gradually more passionately in love with the soft and silent Tess． The fields were dry． Waggons threw up clouds of dust on the road． Cows jumped over gates， chased by flies． Dairyman Crick's sleeves were rolled up from Monday to Saturday， and the milkers milked in the fields for coolness．

On one of these afternoons Tess and Angel were milking near each other． Tess used to rest her head on the cow's body，her eyes fixed on a distant field． The sun shone on the beautiful lines of the face． She did not know that Clare had followed her round and sat watching her． How very lovable her face was to him． He had never seen such beautiful lips and teeth， like roses filled with snow．

Suddenly Clare jumped up， leaving his bucket to be kicked over by the cow， went quickly towards her， and， kneeling down beside her， took her in his arms． Tess let herself relax in his arms in a moment of joyful surprise． He was on the point of kissing that tempting mouth， but stopped himself．

‘Forgive me， Tess dear！’he whispered．‘I ought to have asked．I love you， Tess really！’

Tess tried to free herself and her eyes began to fill with tears．

‘Why are you crying， my darling？’he asked．

‘Oh I don't know！’ she murmured， trying to pull away．

‘Well， I've shown my feeling at last， Tess，’he said with a curious sigh， showing that his heart had overcome his reason．‘I do love you dearly and truly． But I shall go no further now．I have surprised you．’

She freed herself and they went on milking． Nobody had noticed， and when Dairyman Crick came round there was no sign to show that there was any connection between them． Yet something had happened which was to change their whole world． As a practical man， the dairyman might laugh at love，but love has a habit of changing people's lives．It is a force to be respected．