La Mare au Diable

The first in a series of four pastoral novels by Sand, based on her childhood experience. The story goes like this:
Germain, being a widower for two years, was encouraged by his father-in-law, Maurice, to marry again. Germain has three young children from his first marriage. Maurice wants Germain to go visit his friend, Père Leonard, at a farm about half a day's ride away, to visit Leonard's daughter, a rich widow who is looking to remarry. Her name is Catherine Guerin and it appears she is a good person. Germain does not really want to remarry, but Maurice tells him that two years is long enough to be in mourning, that he is grateful for Germain having been good to his daughter, and that the children need a mother. He and his wife cannot continue to take care of the three young children, and his son and daughter-in-law are expecting a baby, so will not be able to help. Germain finally agrees. Maurice tells Germain to take a present of game to Leonard and the widow and to leave Saturday, spend the night at the widow's farm, and come back on Sunday.

He leaves with his son, Pierre, and Mary, a young and beautiful 16 year old girl who needs to find a job in town. They stop near the Mare au Diable and spend the night. Germain and Mary begin to fall in love with each other, but neither shows it. The next morning Germain goes to see the widow and leaves his son with Mary. When he comes to fetch him, disappointed by the widow, he learns that Mary has fled her employer (who tried to rape her) with Pierre. Germain finds them both at the Mare au Diable and they all go back to the village.

Several months passes. They don't talk to each other.

They finally talk to each other, find out they're both in love, and marry.