Martin rubs up against the new herbalist and Penhale, Louisa and James are all interested in Janice's new pedicure fish. Martin's ex-flame invites him to speak as keynote speaker at Imperial College, and Ruth is back from Mexico with more than maracas.

Martin advises Mrs Irene Moore to stop cold-water swimming until they've ruled out the cause of her migraines. Mrs Tishell tries to help, given she knows the cold-water swimming is a way that Irene feels closer to her late husband.

Another headache for Martin is the arrival of Jane, a herbalist, to the village. Not only does Martin end up having to pick-up the pieces of her ill offered medical advice, but he also ends up treating her daughter.

Chicken the dog raises the alarm that Ruth has a DVT from her recent travels - maybe he will finally be accepted by Martin. Martin is recognised for his recent paper on geriatric pregnancies when a former girlfriend, Sophie Trent, arrives at the door to invite him to present his paper as keynote speaker at Imperial College in London. Louisa suggests she could join him - they never spend time just the two of them.

Meanwhile PC Penhale inadvertently ends up having a fish pedicure when he tries to ask Janice out on a date. Under false pretences he then invites her around to the station and just happens to have a romantic meal prepared for them.

James Henry is becoming increasingly jealous of the attention his baby sister Mary Elizabeth is getting, so Louisa arranges to take him out to see Janice's pedicure fish.