wanted,” he said at last. “She lusted. Lusted for wealth, for position, for what she saw as freedom, not seeing it as license—never seeing!” He spoke with sudden violence, and I thought it was not Malva alone who had never seen things as he did. But she had wanted Jamie, whether for himself or only for his property. And when her love charm failed, and the epidemic of sickness came, had taken a more direct way toward what she wanted.
This feels so fucking cliche to me. It could have been anything else!! Sure her repressive upbringing and repressed sexuality (ala 18th century) might have exacerbated the issue. But still!! I liked Malva so much... this seems like a disservice to her character.
