# Edward Clare — The Cloven Foot character guide > Edward Clare in The Cloven Foot by M. E. Braddon. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Mr. Clare, Edward Clare, Ned, Ted, Poor Edward, Dear Ned **First appearance:** 0000-i-the-heir-presumptive ## Who they are The vicar's son, a would-be poet with a den, a cigar, and a magnum opus always just out of reach, Edward once loved Laura and now studies John Treverton with quiet curiosity. ## Relationships ### [Laura Malcolm](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/characters/laura_malcolm) _romantic_ Edward is a suitor to Laura, and their relationship is filled with romantic tension and emotional intensity. ### [Mrs. Treverton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/characters/mrs_treverton) _psychological_ Edward is manipulated by Mrs. Treverton, who exerts control over his actions and affections for her own ends. ### [Celia Clare](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/characters/celia_clare) _family_ Celia and Edward are siblings, sharing a close but sometimes strained bond due to family secrets. ### [La Chicot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/characters/la_chicot) _rivalry_ Edward and La Chicot are antagonists, often clashing over secrets and loyalties within the household. ### [Mr. Desrolles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/characters/mr_desrolles) _rivalry_ Edward and Mr. Desrolles are competitors, often at odds over business dealings and personal loyalties. ### [Laura Malcolm](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/characters/laura_malcolm) _romantic_ Edward is a suitor to Laura, and their relationship is filled with romantic tension and emotional intensity. ### [Celia Clare](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/characters/celia_clare) _family_ Celia and Edward are siblings, sharing a close but sometimes strained bond due to family secrets. ### [Laura Malcolm](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/characters/laura_malcolm) _romantic_ Edward is a suitor to Laura, and their relationship is filled with romantic tension and emotional intensity. ### [Mrs. Treverton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/characters/mrs_treverton) _psychological_ Edward is manipulated by Mrs. Treverton, who exerts control over his actions and affections for her own ends. ### [Mrs. Treverton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/characters/mrs_treverton) _psychological_ Edward is manipulated by Mrs. Treverton, who exerts control over his actions and affections for her own ends. ### [La Chicot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/characters/la_chicot) _rivalry_ Edward and La Chicot are antagonists, often clashing over secrets and loyalties within the household. ### [Celia Clare](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/characters/celia_clare) _family_ Celia and Edward are siblings, sharing a close but sometimes strained bond due to family secrets. ## In the story ### [Jasper Treverton's Will](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/ii-jasper-treverton-s-will) The vicar and Jasper Treverton's close friend, present at the reading and a trustee of the estate. ### [A Disappointed Lover](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/v-a-disappointed-lover) Feels ill-used and disappointed as Laura restricts his visits; had hoped to marry her and inherit Jasper Treverton's fortune. ### [A Disappointed Lover](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/v-a-disappointed-lover) The vicar persuades Laura to stay at the Manor House and discusses John Treverton's past and his son Edward's lack of direction. ### [VII: "A Little While Such Lips as Thine to Kiss"](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/vii-a-little-while-such-lips-as-thine-to-kiss) Sneers at the conversation; described as effeminate and languid; shows jealousy as Treverton's rival. ### [IX: “And Art Thou Come! and Art Thou True!”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/ix-and-art-thou-come-and-art-thou-true) Recalled by Laura as having praised her beauty and used the phrase 'not my style.' ### [No Trousseau](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xi-no-trousseau) Expresses a bad opinion of Mr. Treverton and doubts his motives; after Laura's rebuke, he leaves Hazlehurst for London to pursue literature. ### [Edward Clare Discovers a Likeness](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xv-edward-clare-discovers-a-likeness) Receives Celia's letter and later encounters Mr. Desrolles, learning about Jack Chicot's resemblance to someone from Hazlehurst. ### [The Church Near Camelot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xx-the-church-near-camelot) Edward reacts bitterly to Celia's letter, feeling betrayed by Laura's happiness and his own failures. ### [XXI: Halcyon Days](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxi-halcyon-days) Mentioned by Celia as being in London; Laura agrees to invite him to dinner. ### [A Village Iago](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxii-a-village-iago) Edward discusses the Chicot murder, shows malice toward John Treverton, and later feigns friendship while visiting the Manor House. ### [XXIII: “In the Meanwhile the Skies ’Gan Rumble Sore”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxiii-in-the-meanwhile-the-skies-gan-rumble-sore) Feigns contentment at the Vicarage but secretly harbors a deadly secret about John's past; hints to Celia that John is a scoundrel and plans to watch and wait. ### [XXIV: “And Purple Light Shone Over All”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxiv-and-purple-light-shone-over-all) Edward is mentioned as a possible performer at the party, reading an Ingoldsby legend. ### [The Children's Party](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxv-the-children-s-party) Performs a comic reading for the children, describes the suspicious man to Laura, and realizes the man is the same he saw with Chicot in Drury Lane. ### [XXVII: Desrolles Is Not Communicative](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxvii-desrolles-is-not-communicative) Edward Clare aggressively questions Desrolles about the identity of John Treverton and Chicot, vowing to find Chicot and see him punished for the murder of his wife. ### [Edward Clare Goes on a Voyage of Discovery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxviii-edward-clare-goes-on-a-voyage-of-discovery) Driven by hatred and a sense of chivalrous duty, he plans to expose John Treverton's alleged bigamy and fraud. ### [George Gerard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxix-george-gerard) Arranges a play in London and brings his friend George Gerard to stay at the Vicarage. ### [XXX: Thou Art the Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxx-thou-art-the-man) Insists on exposing Treverton's secret, motivated by personal malice and his lost love for Laura. ### [XXXI: Why Don’t You Trust Me?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxxi-why-don-t-you-trust-me) Revealed to know John's secret; Laura perceives him as a secret enemy. ### [On His Defence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxxii-on-his-defence) Accuses Treverton of fraud and acting only under pressure; leaves the room after being rebuked by Laura. ### [On His Defence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxxii-on-his-defence) Struggles with the moral implications but ultimately expresses belief in Treverton's innocence of murder. ### [George Gerard in Danger](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxxiv-george-gerard-in-danger) Aloof and brooding; engages in literary discussion but remains distant during the moorland walk. ### [On a Voyage of Discovery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxxv-on-a-voyage-of-discovery) Mentioned as a source of malice against Treverton. ### [The Tenant from Beechampton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxxvii-the-tenant-from-beechampton) Laura fears him as her husband's enemy, believing his hatred could mean death. The Vicar dismisses this, but Laura trembles at his power to harm them. ### [The Tenant from Beechampton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxxvii-the-tenant-from-beechampton) The Vicar, who visits to comfort Laura. He is kind and gentle, but unable to fully grasp the depth of her fears. He reassures her that Edward will not use his knowledge against them. ### [Celia's Lovers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/xxxviii-celia-s-lovers) Discussed as Laura's enemy; Celia says he is brooding and unhappy over Laura's marriage. ### [Epilogue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/chapters/epilogue) Leaves for the Cape to learn ostrich farming, motivated by shame over his treachery. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/characters/edward_clare - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cloven_foot_se/characters