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let anyone know about.”
    Nicola’s eyes widened as she realized his implication, and she drew a sharp breath at his audacity. She was about to let fly with a withering retort when he laughed and made a sweeping bow.
    “But of course that could not be the case with a young lady as innocent and beautiful as yourself,” he continued in a light voice, blurred by the local accent. “Ye’d have no need of beauty creams or love potions, obviously. Half the men in Dartmoor must already be at your feet.”
    “And you obviously have no need of any charm yourself,” Nicola replied, unable to keep from smiling. “You are already too smooth by half.”
    He let out an exaggerated sigh of relief, his black eyes dancing. “Whew. I’m glad to hear ye say so. Me gran’d have me ears if I offended one of her customers.”
    “Your gran?” Nicola asked, intrigued. “Do you mean to say she really is your grandmother?”
    He nodded. “Me mother’s grandmother.”
    “I’m surprised I’ve never seen you before,” Nicola commented.
    “I live at the stables, you see, at Tidings. ‘Tis part of me job. I visit Gran every Sunday, on me day off.”
    “I see.”
    There was a moment’s pause, during which Nicola realized that she had nothing to stand here talking to this young man about. Desperately she searched for something to say to prolong the moment.
    “Ma and I lived in Twyndel,” he said suddenly. “But last year, when she died, I moved back to be near Gran. She’s gettin’ on, ye see.”
    “I am not from the area, either,” Nicola volunteered. “We are staying with my aunt, Lady Buckminster.”
    “Ah.” The grin returned. “We had a right interestin’ talk, Lady Buckminster and me, about her mare.”
    “I am sure it was,” Nicola said with a chuckle. “My aunt is not prone to talk of anything else. Had you not taken good enough care of her?”
    “You wound me, miss.” He put on a pained air. “She’d injured her fetlock, so Lady Buckminster came to the stables to leave the mare, as we were nearer than Buckminster. I put one of Gran’s salves on it, and the mare was right as rain the next day when she came to see about it. ‘Twas the salve she was wanting to talk about.”
    “Oh. Well…” Nicola glanced around. She could think of no reason to linger, yet she wanted very much to stay right here, talking to him. “I suppose I should be leaving.”
    Was that a flash of disappointment in his eyes? “Oh. Yes. Of course.”
    Nicola began to walk toward her horse, her steps lagging. He strolled along with her.
    “Do you…come here often?” he asked casually.
    Nicola glanced at him. There was nothing casual about the intense interest in his eyes. “Yes. I am interested in herbs and remedies. Your grandmother has very kindly taught me a great deal. I come here to learn and to purchase supplies from her. She has let me have a corner of her garden for my own.”
    He looked at her in surprise. “You are growing them yourself?”
    “Why, yes. I dry and grind and mix them, as well,” Nicola responded tartly. “I realize that you think I am a useless, shallow slip of a girl, but I do have interests outside of my dress and my hair.”
    He had the grace to redden a little beneath his tan. “Indeed, miss, I did not think you useless and shallow. It is just a little unusual.”
    “If you knew me, you would find that I am a little unusual.”
    He smiled. “I could already tell that. Not many ladies would stand about chatting with grooms.”
    “Mmm. My mother tells me I am deplorably egalitarian,” Nicola agreed lightly.
    They had reached her horse, and Nicola turned to him. “Well. Goodbye, then. I—it was nice to see you again.”
    “Thank you.” He paused, then said quickly, “I come to visit Gran every Sunday.”
    “Do you?” Nicola’s heart began to pound a little harder in her chest. He was telling her that he wanted to see her again, wasn’t he? “I—uh—” She had to pause and clear her