# Schuyler Carleton — The Clue character guide > Schuyler Carleton in The Clue by Carolyn Wells. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Mr. Carleton, Carleton, Schuyler, Mr. Schuyler Carleton, old Schuyler, Mrs. Carleton **First appearance:** 0000-i-the-van-normans ## Snapshot Proud, ambitious, and honor-bound, Madeleine Van Norman's groom stands at the altar of a marriage he may not want — and becomes the mystery's most scrutinized man. ## Who they are Carleton moves through the Van Norman household as its prospective master: wealthy, reserved, and unfailingly correct, the sort of man everyone assumes will do his duty. Yet the women who know Madeleine best suspect his heart belongs to a softer, poorer girl, and that only her fortune and his own sense of honor keep him at her side. When the wedding morning turns catastrophic, that very reputation for rigid propriety makes him the first person the household — and the reader — cannot stop suspecting. ## Relationships ### [Madeleine Van Norman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/characters/madeleine_van_norman) _romantic_ Madeleine and Schuyler are engaged, with a passionate but tense relationship marked by suspicion and jealousy. ### [Rob Fessenden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/characters/rob_fessenden) _rivalry_ Rob and Schuyler are bitter rivals, competing for Madeleine's affection and clashing over her safety. ### [Kitty French](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/characters/kitty_french) _social_ Kitty and Schuyler are acquaintances within the same social set, with no deep personal connection. ### [Tom Willard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/characters/tom_willard) _social_ Schuyler and Tom are casual acquaintances, moving in the same social circles but not close. ### [Miss Burt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/characters/miss_burt) _professional_ Miss Burt is Schuyler's secretary, handling his correspondence and business matters. ### [Cicely Dupuy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/characters/cicely_dupuy) _social_ Cicely and Schuyler are polite acquaintances, with no significant personal bond. ### [Doctor Hills](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/characters/doctor_hills) _professional_ Doctor Hills interacts with Schuyler as a medical professional, occasionally consulting on health matters. ### [Rob Fessenden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/characters/rob_fessenden) _rivalry_ Rob and Schuyler are bitter rivals, competing for Madeleine's affection and clashing over her safety. ### [Madeleine Van Norman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/characters/madeleine_van_norman) _romantic_ Madeleine and Schuyler are engaged, with a passionate but tense relationship marked by suspicion and jealousy. ### [Kitty French](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/characters/kitty_french) _social_ Kitty and Schuyler are acquaintances within the same social set, with no deep personal connection. ### [Madeleine Van Norman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/characters/madeleine_van_norman) _romantic_ Madeleine and Schuyler are engaged, with a passionate but tense relationship marked by suspicion and jealousy. ### [Cicely Dupuy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/characters/cicely_dupuy) _social_ Cicely and Schuyler are polite acquaintances, with no significant personal bond. ## In the story ### [The Van Normans](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/i-the-van-normans) Madeleine's fiancé, handsome and polite but cold and undemonstrative, causing tension and jealousy. ### [Miss Morton Arrives](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/ii-miss-morton-arrives) The groom, absent from dinner until later; he shows jealousy toward Tom Willard and speaks coldly to Madeleine, alarming some guests. ### [III: A Cry in the Night](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/iii-a-cry-in-the-night) Discovers the body; gives a shaky account of finding Madeleine, the dagger on the floor, and the note; appears at the limit of endurance and avoids eye contact with others. ### [Suicide or ⸻?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/iv-suicide-or) Present in the library, questioned by Tom about his love for Madeleine, and shows visible distress. ### [VI: Fessenden Comes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/vi-fessenden-comes) Arrives looking aged and grief-stricken; Fessenden notes his condition. ### [VII: Mr. Benson’s Questions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/vii-mr-benson-s-questions) Denies understanding the suicide note, claims mutual love with Madeleine, shows extreme distress and white-faced horror. ### [XI: “I Decline to Say”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/xi-i-decline-to-say) Testifies stubbornly, insists Madeleine wrote the note, and repeatedly refuses to explain his actions during the critical quarter-hour. ### [XII: Dorothy Burt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/xii-dorothy-burt) Remains present but oblivious to being an accused man; discussed as the primary suspect with a possible motive of love for another woman. ### [An Interview with Cicely](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/xiii-an-interview-with-cicely) Discussed as the object of both Madeleine's and Cicely's affections; revealed to love Dorothy Burt. ### [The Carleton Household](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/xiv-the-carleton-household) Shows reluctance to discuss the murder, refuses to explain his actions during the interval, and admits to burning notes and a keepsake. Reveals his romantic involvement with Dorothy Burt. ### [Miss Morton's Statements](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/xvii-miss-morton-s-statements) Mentioned in Dorothy Burt's testimony regarding his actions on the night of the murder; not present at the inquest but his behavior is under scrutiny. ### [Carleton Is Frank](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/xviii-carleton-is-frank) Maintains his inscrutable demeanor and refuses to explain his errand on the night of the murder; after Fessenden's declaration, he admits he loved Miss Burt while engaged to Madeleine and confesses his jealousy of Tom Willard. ### [The Truth About Miss Burt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/xix-the-truth-about-miss-burt) Confesses his love for Dorothy Burt and his guilt over considering breaking his engagement to Madeleine on the night of her death. ### [XX: Cicely's Flight](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/xx-cicely-s-flight) Practically exonerated as suspicion moves away from him. ### [A Successful Pursuit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/xxi-a-successful-pursuit) Exonerated by Cicely's confession; expresses relief but remains subdued; suggests hiring Fleming Stone and is content to leave the case in Stone's hands. ### [A Talk with Miss Morton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/xxii-a-talk-with-miss-morton) Mentioned as having advised Dorothy Burt to speak freely; he is the object of her love and was initially suspected by her. ### [XXIII: Fleming Stone](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/xxiii-fleming-stone) Present at the evening discussion; shows reluctance toward publicity but stays for the gathering. ### [XXIV: A Confession](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/chapters/xxiv-a-confession) Present during the revelation; rushes to assist Tom Willard after the stabbing and is named the beneficiary of Tom's will. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/characters/schuyler_carleton - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_clue_se/characters