A Witch in Time

such an ‘unfashionable height’ as Grandmama says,” she said with a chuckle. “My gowns will easily fit Miss Anderson and we can always shorten them for Miss Henney.”
“Gowns for the season will cost you a fortune,” Reed commented. “Perhaps you may need to wait a while until you get some funds.”
“We’ll be fine,” Elise snapped. “We aren’t paupers.”
That she seemed upset in turn made his wolf agitated. “I didn’t mean—”
“We have the means, I assure you,” Jonasson interrupted. “The er, pirates and robbers only managed to steal our luggage while I had our money stored safely away.”
Reed looked the other man up and down, wondering where in the world he could possibly have a substantial amount of money hidden on his person.
“Excellent,” Eleanor said.
There was a soft knock on the door before it opened. “Your tea is here, Your Grace,” Neville then turned to Eleanor. “Lord William is in the playroom, enjoying his biscuits.”
“Thank you, Neville,” Reed said. “Actually, if you wouldn’t mind, could you arrange for tea in the library instead? And show our guests there please.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“My sister and I will follow in a moment,” he said.
“We will see you there, Your Grace.” Jonasson and the two ladies followed Neville out. Once he was sure that they were far enough away, Reed turned to his sister.
“What the devil are you thinking, inviting them to stay with you and offering to sponsor them for the season?” His hands clenched at his sides. “We don’t know them or if they’re telling the truth about their Alpha and our father.”
“Reed, don’t be silly. Who could make up such a wild story?” Eleanor reached out and placed a soothing hand on his arm. “It all fits, right? You know Father and Mother were always very forward thinking when it came to alliances. Maybe this was their plan, right before they—”
“Still, it’s all very strange. They’re very strange.” And, he did not like how Elise Henney caused so much chaos in both himself and his wolf.
“They’re foreigners, of course they’re going to be a little … odd.” Eleanor wrinkled her nose. “Think of poor Mother when she first moved to England. You know she must have had a terrible time, and Grandmama—and I love her dearly—couldn’t have made it easy on her. I won’t have those girls suffer like her.”
That comment really hit him in the gut. He’d seen it over the years, of course—the dowager duchess never really got along with her daughter-in-law, and the two were often at odds with each other. “It is very odd that an Alpha would let his daughter and niece travel all the way here for an alliance.”
“Maybe their customs are a bit more permissive.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “You don’t suppose he …”
“He what?”
She shook her head. “No, preposterous. Neither of them would suit you.”
“Not suit me?” Well, they were both American and untitled.
“Of course not,” she chuckled. “I know you too well. Miss Anderson is too exuberant, you’d squash her spirit, and Miss Henney seems so shy, you’d scare her to death.”
“Perhaps you’re right.” His wolf, on the other hand, yowled in protest at the latter of Eleanor’s suggestion.
“Unless you’re interested—”
“We’ve been gone a long time,” Reed said. “Let us join our guests before they think we’re talking about them.
“We are talking about them,” Eleanor pointed out. “But I suppose you’re right.” She took Reed’s offered arm and they strolled out of the office.
As they walked toward the library, Reed contemplated what he was going to do about Mr. Jonasson, Miss Anderson, and of course, Miss Henney. While Eleanor may have been convinced by their tale, he was not. There was something the three of them were hiding and he was determined to find out the truth.
In the meantime, he vowed to ignore Elise Henney as much as he could. He did not want or need a wife, not even a True Mate. Women were not to be trusted, as he had learned in the past. Besides, he couldn’t even be sure they were True Mates, and there was no way he was going to confirm it by getting her with child.
The thought of Elise growing large with his pup made his wolf growl in approval. And while it brought out a primal feeling inside him, he quashed it, like he did with every emotion he’d felt for the last decade.

Chapter Four
Having tea with Reed Townsend and his sister was no less strained than their confrontation in the office. While Eleanor seemed to be doing her best to put them at ease, it was obvious to Elise that Reed was still highly suspicious of their story, if the way his dark, brooding eyes bore into her were any indication.
Just thinking of them made her shiver, the way his onyx eyes made her feel naked and stripped. It didn’t help that he was handsome and imposing, so much so that her inner wolf went very still at his mere presence.
As the tea wore on, she tried not to glance at Julianna and Cross, as if any passing look between them would betray them even more. When finally Eleanor declared that they were to head to her home, which was conveniently located next door, she wanted to weep in relief, knowing she wouldn’t have to endure Reed’s oppressive stare much longer, and she would have some privacy to gather her own thoughts.
Eleanor’s house, though not much smaller than Reed’s, was much more inviting. It was obvious that the cheerful young countess had put much love and care into decorating her home. As she and William bid them goodbye, they went to their own wing, the butler showed her, Julianna, and Cross to the guest wing. They first stopped by her room, and as soon as she entered, she sprawled out on the comfy four-poster bed and closed her eyes. She wondered what her companions were thinking. The only way out of this, as she figured, would be to leave right away. Yes,