Who is Douglas Macfadden from A Town Like Alice and what is their importance?

Douglas Macfadden was a wealthy Scotsman. He became an invalid in his fifties and asked his lawyer, narrator Noel Strachan, to change his will to reflect the death of Arthur Paget. Believing women incapable of money management, Macfadden's will bequeaths Jean the use of the estate for as long as she lives. When she dies, however, the estate will go to Donald.