A painter in the early nineteenth century, Charles was stronger-willed than his younger brother Gabriel. Unfortunately, he turned that will toward evil. Though he was married to the aristocratic Laura, it was Gabriel's wife Angelique who was his soulmate. Supposedly using Angelique as a model for his painting, they began a blatant affair. Charles even considered killing his wife as a gift to Angelique.
Gabriel was too weak to take any action against the couple, but Laura was not. Unknown to Charles, she had contacted the Reverend Strack to arrest Angelique for witchcraft. Unable to keep his lover from being taken, he was at least able to keep Strack from touching her. But Charles was forced to watch as Angelique was hanged.
The affair with Angelique did not end with her death. Her spirit, kept alive by young Sarah Castle, still came to Charles by night. Moved by revenge and driven by his ghostly lover, Charles started killing those responsible for Angelique's death. He beat Strack to death from horseback, then drowned Laura in the pool. He was probably planning Gabriel's death as well, but his brother had become aware that the affair was continuing. Wildly jealous, Gabriel had Charles taken to the basement. With the help of two trustworthy servants, Charles was walled up alive, with Angelique's body to keep him company as he died.
But like his lover, Charles would not stay dead. Over a century later he was reborn as Quentin Collins. Quentin's arrival at Collinwood on 1971 awakened his memories. Though Quentin fought against it, even taking Charles' remains from the basement and giving them a Christian burial hoping this would let him rest in peace, Charles' personality won out, taking over Quentin permenantly. Presumably Charles now rules Collinwood again, his Angelique by his side.
