Roxane Arnal
In 1919, in a small town under the crushing heat of summer, a war hero is held prisoner in an abandoned barracks. Outside, his mangy dog barks night and day. Not far off in the countryside, an extraordinarily intelligent young woman works the land, waiting and hoping. A judge whose principles have been sorely shaken by the war is coming to sort out this case of which it is better not to speak.
Setting out on her own, 25-year-old Alice visits several apartments with the help of real estate agent Julien, a married man with children. They soon fall in love. Around the same time, Alice takes work at Julien's wife Marie's tea shop. Charmed by the interest Alice shows in her, Marie lets her guard down and starts confiding in her. In return, Alice, tells Marie about her affair with a married man. Things come to a head when Julien has a car accident and the affair is exposed.