Winterborne was connected with the Melbury family in various ways.

In addition to the sentimental relationship which arose from his father having been the first Mrs.Melbury's lover, Winterborne's aunt had married and emigrated with the brother of the timber-merchant many years before--an alliance that was sufficient to place Winterborne, though the poorer, on a footing of social intimacy with the Melburys.

As in most villages so secluded as this, intermarriages were of Hapsburgian frequency among the inhabitants, and there were hardly two houses in Little Hintock unrelated by some matrimonial tie or other.
For this reason a curious kind of partnership existed between Melbury and the younger man--a partnership based upon an unwritten code, by which each acted in the way he thought fair towards the other, on a give-and-take principle.

Melbury, with his timber and copse-ware business, found that the weight of his labor came in winter and spring.
Winterborne was in the apple and cider trade, and his requirements in cartage and other work came in the autumn of each year.

Hence horses, wagons, and in some degree men, were handed over to him when the apples began to fall; he, in return, lending his assistance to Melbury in the busiest wood-cutting season, as now.
Before he had left the shed a boy came from the house to ask him to remain till Mr.Melbury had seen him.