Frederick Hale (Rupert Evans)
Frederick is Margaret's older brother. He is treated as the favorite child but there is good reason for this. The audience doesn't even know of his existence until halfway through the movie. This is because of his past. He went away to sea when he was young and sailed under a brutal and abusive captain. He and some others tried to stand up to this man and were charged with mutiny. Many of his accomplices were executed and Fred still has a big price on his head. He lives in Spain to avoid court martial. However, when Mrs. Hale is dying, Margaret asks him to come. He does and they are very secretive about his presence. This secrecy leads to one of the biggest misunderstandings in the film. He leaves late at night to avoid being noticed. Mr. Thornton sees Margaret and Fred embracing at the station. This causes him to question her virtue until, by accident, he discovers the truth. Fred's presence is a source of comfort for all the characters but also a source of a lot of the dramatic irony of the movie.