Only after they got together did Mrs. Ainsworth discover that Mr. Ainsworth already had a wife and children.
She'd thrown tantrums and cried, but she couldn't fight her own heart. She stayed with Mr. Ainsworth, becoming his hidden woman—a bona fide mistress.
Every time they slept together, Mr. Ainsworth forced her to take birth control pills. The long-term use of the medication left Mrs. Ainsworth unable to conceive. She desperately wanted a child, but her wish was never granted.
In their youth, Mr. Ainsworth and Mr. Grant were schoolmates and had a fairly good relationship. Moreover, both had entered into political marriages and started families.
Over time, Mr. Grant naturally got to know Mrs. Ainsworth as well.
Mrs. Ainsworth felt a deep sense of injustice. She saw all the successful, respectable men with wives and children of their own, while she herself was unable to get pregnant. Her sense of desolation grew with each passing day.
