Knight of My Dreams by Lynsay Sands

Alice’s face with her hands and allowed a true affection to show through. “Alice, had I had a daughter of my own, instead of a son, I would have liked her to be you.”
    Alice felt tears well up inside her at that kind claim, but shook her head with confusion. “But I heard you telling Jonathan—”
    â€œI am sorry, my dear.” Lady Fairley interrupted with sincere regret. “Jonathan told me that you overheard me last night, but I never intended for you to be privy to that nonsense. What I said then was not at all true; I was simply misleading Jonathan. I was hoping to raise his interest by making him think I did not care for you.”
    â€œI see,” Alice murmured, gazing down at her hands.
    A moment of silence passed as Alice considered all she had learned; then Lady Fairley could stand it no longer. “So? You will marry my son?”
    Alice lifted her head slowly and peered at Margaret for a long time; then she nodded. “Aye.”
    â€œOh, lovely!” Jonathan’s mother exclaimed, hugging her happily. “You are perfect for each other. I know you will be happy together. I—”
    â€œOn one condition.”
    Lady Fairley stiffened. “Condition?”
    â€œAye. As much as I appreciate that you love Jonathan, and that you want only the best for him . . . And as much as I appreciate how you got us together, I really must insist that the interference stop here, this very moment. I will not marry Jonathan if it means spending the rest of my life worrying about what you are up to.”
    â€œOh, my dear.” Smiling, Lady Margaret patted the girl’s hands affectionately. “I will be more than happy to stop my interfering. All I wanted in the world was to see my boy happy, and I knew he could be very, very happy with you. Now that the two of you are together, there is no longer any necessity for me to interfere. I can happily retire and enjoy my golden years.”
    Alice relaxed and smiled. Her eyes growing misty, she squeezed the older woman’s hands. “Thank you, then. For everything you have done.”
    â€œYou are more than welcome, my dear.” Lady Margaret hugged Alice briefly, then sat back and smiled. “Now, Jonathan is waiting in the garden where we found you last night. Go drag my son out of the misery your refusal has sunk him in. I promise, this time I shall not interrupt.”
    Beaming, Alice rose quickly and rushed from the room.
    Lady Fairley watched the girl go, then opened the chest beside her with a pleased sigh.
    â€œWhat are you doing now, Margaret?” Elizabeth of Houghton slid out from behind the curtains that had been hiding her for the past several minutes. Her best friend since childhood was drawing a piece of parchment and a quill and ink out of the chest.
    â€œSetting to work on a plan to get Alice with child. All we need are grandbabies to make things perfect.”
    â€œFrom what I saw when we finally interrupted those two last night, babies will not be a problem,” Elizabeth said dryly. She moved forward to look over her friend’s shoulder at the list being written.
    â€œI told you, it would not have done to stop them too early. Had Jonathan not already intended to wed Alice at that point, we would have been able to use what we saw to force them to marry. Which would not have been possible had we interrupted earlier,” Lady Fairley said, sounding a touch irritated. “Besides, while they may be enthusiastic about the endeavor, one can never tell how the matter of fertility rests with the two of them. A little help in that area will not hurt.” Then she glanced up with a twinkle in her eye. “I spent the better part of the winter investigating which herbs increase a woman’s fertility, and which a man’s ardor. . . . Just in case.”
    â€œWhen you were not plotting how to get the two together, and corresponding with me on the details of that