Ned strode forward, bending over Wesley's chair and hugging him. Willa bit back a smile.
Wesley shook him off. “Do I know you?”
Ned stepped back. “It's true then? You don't remember me? I searched up and down that bloody road for you. I should've never let you take off after those bandits alone. I saw the stage to the next village like you told me to and then came right back, but I found no hide nor hair of you, Wesley, except your rented horse.” Ned sat down and took a piece of bacon off Wesley’s plate. “You're an idiot for taking off like that half-cocked.”
“Ned, have some breakfast and calm down,” Willa said.
He shook his bacon at her. “Don’t get me started on where you failed to think things through, young lady.”
Willa laughed as she got up to make him a plate, but he came to her and hugged her.
“Are you all right?”
She nodded with a weak smile. “He found me in time.”
“What happened to him?”
“Don't talk about me as if I'm not here,” Wesley said, “and take your hands off her.”
Ned let go of Willa’s shoulders. “Some things haven’t changed.”
“Would you like me to tell him the story?” Willa offered.
“Please, my headache is already returning,” Wesley said.
Willa related the pertinent details to Ned, and he sat in stunned silence.
“Where's the helmet?” Ned asked.
Wesley looked to Willa. “Did we leave it in Swinton?”
“We left it. I don’t care to ever see it again.”
“So whatdoyou remember?” Ned asked.
Wesley shook his head. “Willa?”
“Bits and pieces come back to him, and now he thinks present memories are coming and going.”
Wesley shrugged. He looked tired, with dark circles under his eyes. He needed more rest and not to be questioned about every little thing.
“That's a hell of a story,” Ned said. “I heard the tales of Lord Knightly at every inn I stopped at. You'll be famous now.”
“No one knows it was me,” Wesley said, “and I’d like to keep it that way.” He gave Ned a pointed look.
“There is my friend,” Ned said as he dug into his breakfast.
“What?” Wesley asked.
“You always look at me like that when you think I've said too much. You made such a gallant rescue. Tell me you at least proposed like you planned.”
Willa coughed up the sip of tea she’d just taken. She covered her mouth with her napkin before it spilled down her bodice. Wesley looked between Ned and her in confusion.
“Come again?” Wesley stared blankly at Ned.
Ned grimaced. “I'm guessing you don't remember that part. It’s the whole reason we were there. She was adamant she travel alone, so we followed her.”
Willa felt her mouth drop open. “You followed me. How could you—” she cut herself off as reason returned. If they hadn't, Lord knows what would've happened to her. She couldn't be angry. He'd saved her life.
