Conned Into a Love that Never Was
In Affinity, Sarah Waters introduces us to Margaret Prior (Aurora or Peggy), a woman in her early thirties, still residing with her mother after her father’s death. The setting is Victorian England in the 1800s. Margaret is a well-read, brilliant, peculiar, and opinionated woman who defies the rules and regulations set aside for her by her mother. Margaret and her father, whom we come to know affectionately through her as “Pa,” were extremely close. Apparently, her bond with him was so strong, it left her slighted mentally. She attempted to take her life and this event labeled her as someone to keep watch over instead of someone to simply love.
Margaret and Helen (the wife of her brother Stephen) shared a closeness — a connection one would stamp as deep affection and love for one another. They had soft kisses, stories of compassion, and late nights lingering in each other’s presence. Margaret was smitten with Helen, and Helen was taken with Margaret; however, in 19th century England, what they wanted or longed for would not be tolerated.
Stephen and Helen marry instead and have a son named Georgy. Margaret not only has to deal with her secret lover being a focal point of her life in such a profound way, but she also could not express who they were and what their history entailed. Not only this, her sister Priscilla (whom they lovingly call Pris or Prissy) takes a suitor named Author, marries him, and moves away from home leaving Margaret alone with their mother.
Margaret decides to start visiting the women prisoners at Millbank Prison to give her something to do — something to pass the time. This was at the advisement of Mr. Shillitoe (a friend of her father’s). He believed she could focus on the lives of those who “ruined theirs” instead of what she was missing in hers. Margaret builds connections with several of the women there, however, the most important and intense connection is with “spirit medium” Selina Dawes.
Selina Dawes comes with a ton of baggage; however, this is not revealed initially. Sarah does an excellent job shaping the character and making her likable in the beginning, in spite of her eccentricities and eclectic ways. Selina passes herself off as a “spirit medium,” one who connected with a vast number of spirits to pass on messages, gifts, acts of love, and reminders to mourning loved ones. She found herself lured into the life of Margaret by way of the loss of her father. This gateway into Margaret’s life would eventually become Margaret’s downfall.
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Selina weaves her way into Margaret’s realm knowing — feeling that she needs to be loved and marks her as prey. She cons her way into her heart and carves her path even deeper into her mind.
But my spirit does not love yours — it is entwined with it. Our flesh does not love: our flesh is the same, and longs to leap to itself. — Selina Dawes, Affinity
Margaret falls deeply in love with Selina. Her daily thoughts are consumed by her. Her actions are built around her. Millbank Prison becomes a second home as she begins to visit more often than she did before connecting with Selina. Selina uses all of this to her advantage, but Margaret does question her. She does get wary of a love that could grow so swiftly and without warning. Selina is ever-cunning and has the right response . . .
“Do you think”, ‘she said finally,’ “that I will be like her — like her, that chose your brother over you?” — Selina Dawes, Affinity.
Inevitably, Selina completes her scheme using Margaret’s maid (Ruth Vigers), who at one point was Selina’s assistant/lover (this part is unclear) in her pre-prison days, to trick Margaret into thinking Selina was sending certain items to her as professions of her love for Margaret. This same build-up over time made it possible for the two of them, Selina and Ruth Vigers, to con their way to Margaret’s money, clothes, jewelry, passports for trips abroad, et cetera.
The book ends with Margaret’s heart breaking, her mental stability less so, and her life turned upside down by a woman who had it all planned out to take the last bit of life from someone who needed it most.
I found this book profoundly devastating yet suspenseful to read. There are a few of us in life who would indeed be trusting enough to believe that love could spark in the oddest of places. Not only that, while in the depths of despair, many of us might hope people would not take advantage of us but would assist us in our healing process and guide us to a life of fulfillment. This is not always the case.
Sarah Waters does a great job revealing Selina Dawes’ true colors and in the end, I despised her. In the end, I saw her for who she was — a con woman wanting only what she wanted, neglecting all others in the process.
Margaret Prior never had a chance.
©2019 Tremaine L. Loadholt
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