Join Margery, a spirited milkmaid, as she crosses paths with a mysterious foreigner on the brink of despair. In a twist of fate, she saves him from a tragic end, and in gratitude, he offers her any reward she desires. With dreams of attending a grand ball, Margery embarks on an unexpected journey to a yeomans ball in a neighboring county, where her life takes a turn filled with intrigue and emotion. Torn between her loyalty to a local lad and the whirlwind of new experiences, Margerys story unfolds in true Hardy fashion—where not everything concludes as one might hope. (Summary by Phil Chenevert)