The story follows unconventional love and marriage of a young girl, Masha aged 17, and the much older Sergey Mikhaylych, an old family friend. The story is narrated by Masha. After a courtship that has the trappings of a mere family friendship, Masha's love grows and expands until she can no longer contain it. She reveals it to Sergey Mikhaylych and discovers that he also is deeply in love.