

Clym has returned to Egdon from Paris, where he's been making a living in the diamond trade. Yeobright's son and Thomasin's cousin and former sweetheart. Eustacia then sets her sights on Clym Yeobright, Mrs. She is too proud to accept the marriage proposal of a man whom Thomasin, a rival she considers inferior, has rejected and who asked Thomasin to marry before he asked her. Meanwhile, Wildeve has proposed to Eustacia, but Eustacia believes that Wildeve is not good enough for her and rejects him. He is determined that Thomasin will marry the man she loves, Wildeve. Venn is in love with Thomasin, even though she had refused his marriage proposal two years ago. Yeobright that he would like to marry her niece. Diggory Venn, the heath reddleman, also vows to get Thomasin and Wildeve together, but secretly tells Mrs. Yeobright, tries to get Wildeve to marry Thomasin to save her niece from public disgrace, even though she has made it clear to her niece that Wildeve is not worthy enough. On their wedding day, the marriage license is discovered to be invalid, either by Wildeve's intent or mistake, leaving Thomasin utterly humiliated and Eustacia, who believes that Wildeve loves her more than he loves Thomasin-utterly joyous. However, the sweet, simple Thomasin Yeobright has also caught Wildeve's attentions and is engaged to him. She and Wildeve share a passionate, wild nature and enjoy toying with each other's affections.

Living in desolate, barren Egdon Heath, Eustacia considers only one man worthy enough to love-Damon Wildeve, a former civil engineer turned owner of an inn.

Eustacia Vye, a beautiful, sensual nineteen-year-old "Queen of the Night," has one desire: to be loved to madness by a man who is worthy of her and who will take her to exotic places.
