Edmund Marlcaster

Edmund Marlcaster, a character in the Desire & Decorum series, is Henrietta's son from her first marriage. He is first seen in Book 1, Chapter 2.

Appearance
Edmund has wavy blond hair, blue eyes and fair skin. He wears a blue jacket on top of a white shirt with an elaborate gray tie.

Personality
Being raised by determined Countess Henrietta, Edmund is very indecisive and follows his mother's every wish. Some people even mock him for this. However, he isn't ill-minded and, as it turns out, he doesn't like most Henrietta's decisions.

Book 1

 * Chapter 2: Ties That Bind
 * Chapter 4: Best Foot Forward
 * Chapter 5: The Road to London
 * Chapter 6: An Intimate Affair
 * Chapter 9: An Indelicate Proposal
 * Chapter 10: On Your Marks
 * Chapter 11: The Clock Runs Out
 * Chapter 12: In Sickness and In Health
 * Chapter 13: A Better Place
 * Chapter 14: Fight or Flight
 * Chapter 16: Season's End

Book 2

 * Chapter 2: A Royal Introduction
 * Chapter 6: A New Set of Rules
 * Chapter 7: Moonlit Deception
 * Chapter 8: Hunt Or Be Hunted
 * Chapter 10: In the Balance
 * Chapter 11: A New Horizon
 * Chapter 15: Eye of the Storm
 * Chapter 16: The Final Vow

Your Character
Edmund's relationship with your character depends on the player. If you offer him kindness and treat him like a brother, he can become your ally against Henrietta. In Book 1, Chapter 14, he tells you that he has always been reluctant to become Earl and only went along with it to please his mother. After he breaks his engagement with Miss Sutton, if your relationship with him is high and you choose to speak to him, he tells you that he has never had a sister before but that he thinks he will take to it easily. Ever since Harry died, he hadn't felt as if there was anyone on his side until you came along.

If you have a good relationship with him, in Book 2, Chapter 2, he tells you that he will help you try to break your engagement to the Duke because you are his sister, not because he hopes to take Edgewater away from you.

Briar Daly
During Book 1, Chapter 6, it is shown that Edmund is attracted to Briar as they are seen flirting with each other. Because she is unthreatening, he finds himself confiding in her. He mentions how horrible he felt after delaying your groom in London and how sorry he is for Miss Sutton's rumors. In Book 1, Chapter 14, if you allow Miss Daly to speak with him, she can confess her feelings to him. He tells her that she makes him feel light, in a way he has never felt before, like there is someone who takes him for who he is and doesn’t expect anything from him.

Throughout Book 2, you can encourage their blossoming relationship. In Chapter 16, you can encourage him to propose to Briar despite his mother's feelings regarding the matter. (He does this spontaniously if you only encouraged Briar to him over time in Book 2) If you do, they wed moments later in the church where you and the former Duke Richards started to exchange nuptials. If you decide to encourage Briar to wed Mr. Woods instead, you see no reaction from Mr. Marlcaster.

Henrietta
Henrietta is Edmund's mother. She wants him to be the future earl of Edgewater. He knows her marriage to Vincent was an unhappy one.

Vincent
Vincent is Edmund's stepfather. However, since his biological father died when he was very young, Edmund thinks of Vincent as his father for all intents and purposes. He did not realize the extent of his feelings about his father until Vincent passed away. In Book 1, Chapter 14, if you allow Miss Daly to try to reason with Mr. Marlcaster, she reminds him of the story he told her about the Earl. When Edmund first came to Edgewater after his mother married the Earl, the young boy locked himself in his chambers and refused to speak to his new stepfather for weeks. Yet, the Earl would come sit outside his door each day, recounting the events at Edgewater. Edmund would shout to him and tell the Earl to leave him alone, but his stepfather never snapped and never left early. He waited nearly two months for Edmund to open the door and when he did, the Earl smiled and continued to tell him what he had missed at Edgewater that day. He earned his respect and his affection.

Theresa Sutton
Theresa is Edmund's fiancé. However, he is barely interested in her. In Book 1, Chapter 16, he breaks the betrothal. If you speak to him afterwards, he says he feels quite light, as if a burden has been lifted.

Harry
Harry was Edmund's younger half-brother. While Edmund seems to be socially awkward, he says he never had to worry when Harry was there. Harry was charming and he used to be the center of any conversation. He always knew exactly what to say. Before your debut, the last dinner party Edmund attended in London was with Harry. To take what should have been Harry’s -to be the heir to Edgewater- has troubled Edmund. Ever since his brother’s death, he felt alone with no one supporting him. It takes him a while to realize what he needs to do to be his own man.

Annabelle Parsons
Annabelle, Harry and Edmund used to go hunting together. While Harry was the one to shoot for meat, Edmund and Annabelle started a competition between them to shoot pine cones off branches. Edmund usually has problems with his balance and therefore always loses, but refuses to admit defeat.

Trivia

 * In Book 1, Chapter 6, it's revealed that Edmund is 25 years old when Annabelle in an imitation of him says: "Oh, poor me. I'm a man of five and twenty and I still can't say "no" to my mother..."
 * In Book 1, Chapter 15, Miss Parsons tells you that he was almost engaged to Lady Jane Hawkins a few years ago before she accepted a proposal to someone else.
 * The name Edmund is of English origin and means: Prosperity, riches, protector, defender, wealth, fortune.