Johnathan wanted to talk about it more, but he could never think of a good way to bring it up. And what did it matter anyhow? Fionn was long gone. Herb was here. So he continued to have Herb over for dinner and to go with him whenever there was a gathering in the area, and he found that he was thinking less and less of the adventurer and more of the farmer next door. Herb hadn’t yet moved to do so much as kiss him, but there were occasional looks and lingering touches that suggested he might perhaps be interested. Johnathan was still nerving himself up to make a move, but he knew that he wanted to, and that he should do it soon.
The winter was late to leave that year, and there was a hard cold snap when spring ought to have been on the way. So it was nearly freezing one night as Herb drov
