Malcolm Brown

## Biography

**Malcolm Brown** is one of the Brown Brothers, others being Cedric and Douglas, who had owned and operated the failed *Low River Company*prior to its collapse and acquisition by their archenemy Carruthers and Co. Along with Douglas and Cedric, Malcolm had left his native Scotland and joined his brothers in starting the *Low River Company* in North America in hopes of striking rich in the fur trade.

### Season 1

But after events had caused the company to lose considerable value and afflicted with insolvable debt, Malcolm, like Cedric, had realized that there was just no point on continuing on until Douglas had offered a grand plan to help the company rebound and have the brothers get a second chance at getting wealthy: to strike a deal with the Lake Walker tribe and revitalize trade. This opportunity would be completely destroyed when Cedric would foolishly kidnap the tribe's grandson, Kitchi, which would force Declan Harp and his company to mount a rescue mission to save the latter from Lord Benton. This mission, while successful in returning Kitchi to the tribe, would be fruitless as Kitchi would then be murdered by a former partner, MacLaughlan, under the direction of Jonathan Chesterfield. When discovering that Cedric had ruined their plans and that one of their former partners were responsible for Kitchi's death, Malcolm would be sent as the company's representative and would angrily deny that he and his brothers were at fault and that MacLaughlan was not affiliated with them. But this would have no effect, as the Lake Walkers, led by a furious Machk, would angrily accuse the Browns, the Europeans in the area, and even Harp and his men for Kitchi's death. Despite attempting to mediate hostilities and Sokanon and Harp insisting Benton being the one for Kitchi's murder, Malcolm would barely escape with his life and would not be welcome to come back so long as Machk was made Okimaw (Chief).

After Douglas had discovered the failed plan, he had turned to Samuel Grant for help; this also became fruitless as Grant would murder the brothers' rival Peter Carruthers, after an insulting meeting, and would also fail to acquire the Carruthers' estate and business. Grant, realizing how worthless the Browns were, had decided to imprison both Malcolm and Douglas in debtors' prison for some time.

As time passed, Malcolm would be freed by the Carruthers widow Elizabeth but at the cost of handing over the brothers' company and his hand in marriage, which cemented Elizabeth's power in the fur trade industry. Malcolm unhappily agrees and is forced to serve as Elizabeth's powerless figurehead and accompany her at all times. This, however, would change when Malcolm had decided to leave for Fort James to avenge Cedric's death; in a drunken stupor and still angry with Chesterfield's murder of his brother, Malcolm had returned to Fort James and had attempted to stab the captain but only to be savagely beaten nearly to death. Grace Emberly, the owner of the alehouse at the garrison, would nurse him to health and would warn him not to return as it was not safe for him. By the time Malcolm had returned back to Montreal, he would discover that Douglas had replaced him as Elizabeth's husband, which had incensed him even more and had motivated him to ask for the *Low River Company* to be returned back so that he may attempt to rerun the company on his own. Elizabeth flatly denies the request and Malcolm would leave bitter and unhappy.

When it was revealed that Elizabeth Carruthers was murdered, she had left a will behind explaining that her aide Josephette DaCosta would run the company, Douglas would become "owner" or figurehead of the company, and a trust would be left to manage the estates. When hearing of this, Malcolm would become enraged and would angrily decide not to participate in the company's affairs but only until his discovery of Douglas' drinking habits; because of him actually having feelings for Elizabeth, Douglas was inconsolable and was making very dangerous decisions that was already running*Carruthers and Co.* to the ground, especially when it was revealed that Hudson Bay Company (HBC) had began to crackdown on all rivals in the region by taking away their inventory. DaCosta became desperate and explained that Douglas was not able to help her run the company and had turned to Malcolm to help.

After Malcolm failed to sober his grief-stricken brother, he would decide to act in his stead and help the company by attempting to arrange an agreement with Michael Smyth who, unbeknowst to Malcolm, had already made an agreement with Samuel Grant's business and Grant's partner Cobbs Pond. Suspicious of Michael, Malcolm would follow him and it was here that he would end up tagging along with him to the Lake Walkers, whom he had to once again apologize for Cedric's actions and for Kitchi's death. But when HBC soldiers had arrived to harass the tribe, Michael and Malcolm had fought back, only for its leader Major Vinnicombe to be killed in the process. To save Michael and the tribe, Malcolm would surrender himself to reinforcements of the HBC and would claim he was responsible for the murders. His arrest would be short, as Michael and a trader, Patrick O'Reilly, would spring him to freedom but not without Cobbs Pond discovering the three involved with Malcolm. Upon returning to Fort James, Malcolm and Cobbs would angrily deride Michael for betraying them, but only for Michael to explain that the only way all companies have a chance is to unify and take on HBC together. Despite expressing their hatred for each other, Malcolm and Cobbs would agree to participate in Michael's scheme to take over Fort James in order to defeat its army without any bloodshed. Once Michael and all traders in the region were able to take over Fort James and eliminate the garrison's leader Vanstone, Malcolm, Cobbs and Michael would all celebrate to a new period of peace and partnership between all companies without the HBC clamping down on them.