Two maiden aunts

The story opens on a mist‑shrouded October morning in a sleepy hamlet where dew‑laden meadows stretch beneath a pale sky. A seventeen‑year‑old country lad returns from mushroom‑gathering, his basket heavy with the season’s bounty, and slips down a lane toward a modest gabled house. In the garden, a homespun‑clad girl named Nance watches the shutters with an impatient curiosity, her cheeks flushed with the thrill of a secret plan. The air is thick with the scent of wet earth and the promise of simple, rural mischief.

Nance’s older brother, Pete, chides her for lingering near the cottage, while she retorts with sharp wit, claiming she’s merely awaiting the arrival of the young Miss Betty. Their playful argument is interrupted as the cottage door opens, revealing the girl they’ve been watching. As Nance darts forward and Pete follows, the scene sets the stage for the charming entanglements that will unfold among the two maiden aunts and the lively village folk.