How did Marlena and August get together in Water for Elephants?

Marlena met August at a circus show.  Marlena was just a
teenager when her parents took her to see a circus show.  She was intrigued by the
glamour of the circus shows and the animals.  Marlena did not have a very happy home
life--her parents were quite controlling and picked several men to call on Marlena as
suitors.  When a banker made several visits to the home, Marlena realized that her
parents had picked this man to become her husband.  Marlena wanted to choose a life of
her own, so when her parents took her to the circus, she decided to run away with August
and join the circus.  He promised her a life of excitement on the travelling circus, so
Marlena joined and never went back home.