Tess of the d'Urbervilles Phase III: The Rally Chapter 20

In which the gentle rhythms of dawn and the quiet duties of dairy life provide a serene backdrop for the subtle and growing intimacy between Tess and Angel Clare, whose early mornings together are steeped in a misty, almost otherworldly atmosphere. Amidst the pastoral cycle of nature and the earnest labours of the milkers, Tess reveals a luminous complexity that both captivates and confounds Clare, as they stand on the delicate threshold of budding affection without fully realising its significance.