Claude North was another character whose reason d'etre I could never figure out, just like ectopoleyester Dameon.  (Although I now know what the big deal about Dameon was.)  I do know - and correct me if I'm wrong - that Claude was you-know-who's boyfriend, and that he apparently "lent her out" to you-know-who to use to bring back Angelique, and then figured maybe that wasn't the best thing to do.  Okay, fine.  But - once again - they made such an initial big deal about it and then he's gone.  Actually, I'm glad he did vanish rather quickly.  I didn't like him.  He came off as a snooty, snotty, self-centered, arrogant critter, the kind of person who patronizes the Splash Bar in New York City.  
Gerard