Marion Ferguson

Short Stats

• Character Name: Marion Grace Ferguson
• Title: Viscountess
• Estate Name: Caledonia (Galloway County)
• Nationality: Scottish
• Age: 22 (b. 15 April, 1653)
• Gender: Female
• Eye Colour: Bright Green
• Hair Colour: Black

Physical Appearance

Marion’s raven hair usually is piled atop her head in the latest fashion. Her voluptuous silhouette stands at 5’9” putting her as one of the taller women at court. Beauty is of little effort to her, just a matter of pairing the right clothing for the appropriate situation. Although she does not always look immaculate her clothing is of the highest quality available. At times she follows the fashions and at others she sets out on a path all her own.

First Impressions

First impressions vary depending solely on whom it is who’s one making the observation, but most find her a lively sort full of wit and intelligence. An easy confidence, in the way she handles herself usually. It’s hard not to be a bit flamboyant when your given such different looks from the majority. She’s a horse of a different color.

Reputation

Marion Grace Ferguson, Countess Caledonia, is a beautiful Scottish widow, considered to be a playful tease, which has earned her a place among courts libertines.

Personality

Though she has a extremely agreeable disposition the majority of the time she does not like to be pushed into a corner. She’s not one to back down and see’s a challenge as a game. Matching wits and playful sparring are the quickest ways to catch her attention. The outdoors is where she really seems to spend a bit of her time, which is a bit odd especially for a woman so crazy about the latest clothing fashions. Yet dear little Marion seems to be split into several different personalities. When she is outside she is a naturist and when she is indoors and around those whom are not naturist well she is a fashion fanatic. Horses tend to be her favorite outdoor activity seeing as Galloway is quite famous for their horses. She’s a talented rider, though maybe lacking in that natural gift of riding she is a quick study. And the other half of her enjoys dancing and parties, being a regular little socialite. Nothing says fun then a nice dance with intriguing company. Marion though has her flaws and can throw a bit of a fit when things are going her way, though it’s not in the manner of a spoiled child but more in the frustration of it not meeting perfection. In short she’s a very mixed up woman torn between several personalities that are quite different, but mold together in one witty and intelligent creature.

Background

Family and Childhood

Family Tree: Edmund Miles MacDougal, Baron of Highmor, m. Emma Rose Dinsmore in 1649, producing two daughters, Marion Ferguson and then the youngest is fair haired Lydia Faith MacDougal (b. 6 Dec. 1663) who is quite ill.

Born a Highlander, Married a Lowlander, Always a Scot.

Girls, the curse of the rich and the poor, one of the few things the two do manage to agree upon. How truly upsetting it was for a man to find himself lacking in siring a heir, and to be cursed with girls, though two of the cutest girls in all of Scotland, still girls. Well one had to make the best of it so after the birth of the second daughter the decision to give up trying made, sometimes you just felt things in you bones telling you to stop while you where ahead. The first of these two curses was named Marion Grace. She was a spunky child refusing to allow her grumpy governess to tame the wild spirit in which got her into so much trouble. Though as she grew older the governess had in some strange way managed to at least hide the spirit with polished manners and beautiful dresses, but nothing could kill her fight in her.

Time to Grow Up

At the age of sixteen she was married to man much older then she. And that was the start of a new chapter in her life. Though her and Lord Trey Ferguson, Viscount of Caledonia’s marriage had been one arranged for the security of her family she would not dare say that she’d not developed a certain fondness for him. The instant he’s laid eyes upon her gallivanting down the streets of Wigtown he wanted her. She was a pearl amongst diamonds. Marion knew without a doubt she’d do anything to help her family, marrying the Viscount would save her family, and give them the needed financial security they needed with his wealth. Admiration quickly filled her body for him, his gentle strength eased the transition from daughter to wife. She was a child whom he thoroughly enjoyed to spoil, he’d shown her all of the civilized world, well excluding England. That had been the goal for their next excursion.

Trying Times and Secrets

She’d become pregnant and unable to travel to England for their yearly adventure due to her extremely delicate condition considered all the more delicate with it being a first born. Scotland was a wild and rowdy place still religious strifes arising left and right. These hadn't been a problem until on a raining night did her father and Trey come stumbling in wild eyed and bloody before collapsing on the floor, dead from a stab wound he’d received. It wouldn’t be long, and they would come looking for him. Agreeing with her family and servants that saying he had died the next morning from an accident on a horse,a broken neck of course, would be the best for all of them. It wasn’t but a week later Marion aborted her baby from the stress of her husband’s death.

Season 3

December 24th 1674 to 5th of Jan 1675

Summary coming soon!

Recess 3

January 8th to 13th of March 1675

A Stop on the Way

Bags packed, servants were ready, and the dog was in the coach. Everything was prepared for Marion to go back to Scotland. She’d written her parents letting them know that she had a stop to make before heading on. Until she settled some matters with Trey’s uncle she would continue to be uneasy, and her mind would always be else where. Her nerves where raw by the time they pulled into the estate but it wasn’t long before the gloves came off and old man Ferguson and her were discussing the delicate matters of finances. Both Scots played hard ball with one another attempting to get the best deal possible, the room was undoubtedly heated before the pair settled for a generous 4000 pounds and all matters would be settled.

Love Gone Sour

Back upon the road again, only this time the lead weights of debt were off her shoulders. The trip picked back up and began on the way. Almost every other town they stopped in there was a newspaper article with a recent racing recap. It seemed Lightning Langdon was rising in fame in the world of horse racing. At first she’d been happy but with every passing mile the green monster began to eat away at her. She kept telling herself that he would write and things would be better, he would remember her and not be swept away by his admiring fans particularly the ladies. Week by Week passed and not a letter came, Marion would never of guessed that the Duke of Lauderdale would of placed a spy in her home has a servant to read her mail, hide the letter of which Charles had written, and her own letters she sent out.

The feeling of rejection, and anger began to build up in Marion, to escape she decided to take a ride one afternoon it wasn’t long till she met up with a childhood friend, after some coaxing she explained to him about Charles not writing and the papers pointing out the ladies he would flirt with while at the races. He offered her his condolences and in return mentioned that perhaps some physical exercise would help remove some of the pent up emotions. That day he began teaching her to fence, deciding to meet there every other day she quickly started getting the hang of it. Though it was evident she had lots of room for improvement, but it was a start. In return she promised that she would drop little hints to her sister Lydia in his favor.

Powerful Enemies

She found her disposition improving though she was already planning how to deal with Charles when she arrived back in England. Just the thoughts of going back to court made her almost has giddy has a girl who’d never been. You can imagine the shock of having been told that the Duke of Lauderdale was passing through this area and intended to stop. Her mood turned into a downward spiral from the moment she saw his plump physique.

His sugary attitude made Marion uneasy, has he tried to persuade her that he could offer her power and prestige if she agreed to become his mistress, without blinking she refused him. He seemed to puff up slowly hitting Marion with a hard blow that Charles no longer cared for her. She didn’t put together of how he knew of Charles and her relations, it would be longer before she connected the dots. She bit back from acting childish and telling that Charles hadn’t replaced her, instead she ignored it and continued to refuse him. The next bit got worse, Lauderdale temper seemed to flare a bit more has he began to leave but not before he turned coolly and told her that she would regret her choice. Then hurried quickly out leaving Marion flushed and feeling a bit weak.

The Delay

She began packing later that evening for her own return to England, but by the next morning her mother rushed in with news that her younger sister Lydia had taken a turn for the worse. It had been known for some time that Lydia’s health was very fragile. Agreeing to stay until Lydia’s conditioned improved once more she waited it out, once it had improved the bags where placed back on the coach and Marion was once more making her way back to England.

Residence

When in London, Marion resides in a townhouse in Piccadilly.

See Also

• Alclippe (horse)
• Bonnie (dog)