The Untold Tale of Margaret Dashwood
"And what's to become of you, Miss Dashwood?" The voice boomed from behind her and almost unseated her from her perch atop the boulder by the sheer force and volume of it. It belonged to Sir John Middleton of course, for no other man in her acquaintance would ask a question so boldly. He and his mother-in-law were always making statements and asking questions just outside of what society thought they ought. Margaret quite liked that about them, although it was a fact that quite irked both of her sisters and her mother. If it weren't for the fact that he smelled strongly of dried pork rinds, she would not mind his company at all.
For a moment Margaret said nothing and pondered his question whilst she let the last few flower petals flutter into the wind. Marianne and Colonel Brandon's carriage had left the churchyard over a quarter of an hour ago and she was due to help Eleanor and her mother tidy up the chapel. With a toss of her unkempt lochs she sent him a mischievous smile and said, "I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about, Sir John." And skipped off toward the church.
Sir John smiled after the child who was on the verge of being a child no longer. He thumped his walking stick atop her boulder and pondered the puzzle who was Margaret Dashwood. She was singular individual brought up perhaps a bit too wild. Her sisters had formal tutors while their father was alive and seeing to their wellbeing. And although she was obviously a voracious learner with a keen mind and a quick wit, she was never taught how to control it or guided to what she was "supposed" to learn. She had a ready knowledge and deep appreciation for exploration, engineering and even fencing. But Sir John had never seen her try needlepoint or painting as finished girls with encouraged to do. She climbed and ran more than his own sons did and rode her horse fearlessly.
Left on this course he knew she was in for a rough, if not impossible road ahead. And still, he hated to think what would happen to the wild spirit that blazed within her if she were taken in hand by governess or a school.