The Woodlanders

In the small village of Little Hintock, Giles Winterborne tries to win the hand of his long-time sweetheart, Grace Melbury. Unfortunately, Grace's father disapproves of the match, and instead encourages his daughter to pursue her future elsewhere, leaving Giles to hope that his beloved one day returns to him.
The Woodlanders was one of Thomas Hardy's most popular novels, and Hardy himself cited it as his favorite of his many stories. It has been adapted several times for film, television and radio.