Affinities, and Other Stories

In Short

Mary Roberts Rinehart’s collection of five long stories skewers the absurdities of upper-class romance, social posturing, and early twentieth-century gender politics. Set across wealthy American suburbs and aristocratic English estates, the collection follows sharp-tongued heroines as they navigate arranged courting, suburban boredom, and the chaotic extremes of the women's suffrage movement. Rinehart’s characters dodge scandal, outsmart overbearing suitors, and survive absurd mishaps with reckless charm. The collection endures because of its razor-sharp dialogue, effortless comic pacing, and an affectionate yet unsentimental view of human folly.

The Story

The book opens with "Affinities," where a group of bored suburban wives and husbands decide to spice up their routine social lives by holding an "affinity party," pairing up with partners who are not their spouses. Fan finds herself stranded on an island after dark with her assigned affinity, Ferd. When their boat drifts away, their desperate attempts to get home without creating a devastating public scandal devolve into a nightmare of mud, pig yards, flat tires, and a wrecked motorcar.

In "The Family Friend," young Katherine sets out to land a wealthy, sought-after suitor named Russell Hill by deliberately ignoring him and employing tactical psychological tricks. She brings her reliable, long-suffering friend Henry along to spark jealousy. Her scheming works so well that Russell practically drags her toward a sudden marriage. However, at the train station, when she realizes what she actually wants, Henry quietly reveals he has outmaneuvered everyone all along, whisking her into a taxi with a ring and a license bearing his own name.

"Clara's Little Escapade" shifts to a married woman, Clara, who grows annoyed with her husband Bill's casual neglect and heavy florist bills. To teach him a lesson and stir up dormant feelings, she pretends to reignite a romance with her former flame, Roger. The two put on a dramatic show of star-crossed longing for their friends, starving themselves at dinner parties and whispering in dark corners. The charade collapses into comedy when Roger's actual fiancée, Maisie, catches him in the act, forcing Clara to hide inside a cramped telephone closet for hours while listening to her own social reputation get dismantled.

"The Borrowed House" and "Sauce for the Gander" dive headlong into the militant British suffrage movement. In "The Borrowed House," a group of activists attempt a bold political statement by occupying a vacant estate and accidentally taking the Prime Minister hostage. The heroine finds herself hiding in dark cupboards, dropping silver forks, and escaping across glass conservatory roofs in torrential rain with the high-ranking politician, only to discover that the hostage isn't who he seems. Finally, "Sauce for the Gander" follows Madge as her friend Poppy refuses to pay her taxes, putting her barrister husband Vivian in danger under the Husband's Liability Act. After night spent in jail for political protests, broken locks, and high-society courtroom debates, Madge settles her own romantic future with Basil, striking a pragmatic compromise between domestic bliss and political fire.

How It Unfolds

Boredom breeds a scheme A group of wealthy suburbanites sitting on a country club terrace decide that traditional marriage lacks excitement and organize an offbeat excursion with alternate partners.

A night of escalating disaster Stranded on a river island after their boat slips away, Fan and Ferd attempt to escape quiet ruined reputations by trekking through mud and crashing a car through barnyards.

Playing the long game Katherine uses calculated indifference and a book of romantic advice to capture the interest of a wealthy bachelor, using her faithful companion Henry as a pawn.

The platform switch Just as Katherine is about to be hurried into a wedding she isn't sure she wants, Henry steps in with his own license and ring, carrying her away in a waiting taxicab.

A manufactured romance Clara attempts to make her husband jealous by publicly flirting with her ex-suitor Roger, culminating in a disastrous night where she gets stuck in a telephone cupboard.

High-stakes political comedy A simple raid on a closed estate by women's rights campaigners turns upside down when a unexpected guest is cornered in the dark and held at gunpoint with a silver fork.

A leap from the roof Fleeing through a rainstorm, a young woman and the Prime Minister scramble down a slippery glass conservatory, landing in soggy shrubbery to avoid the local authorities.

Compromise and battle lines After arrests, tax protests, and debates over marital liability acts, Madge accepts a marriage proposal while holding fast to her political ideals.

The People

• Fan: A married woman who joins an "affinity" picnic out of sheer boredom. She wants to avoid a public scandal at all costs, faces a nightmarish trek through muddy fields and broken fences, and ends up battered, bare-footed, and terrified of her husband's reaction.

• Katherine: A calculating young woman who wants to secure her own romantic destiny rather than be forced into a cookie-cutter match. She uses subtle mind games to capture Russell Hill, only to discover that her quiet companion Henry has been the master strategist all along.

• Henry: The steady, highly popular "family friend." He appears content to play second fiddle to Katherine's schemes, but he wants to marry her himself. He stands back until the exact right moment on the train platform to claim his bride.

• Clara: A discontented wife who wants her husband Bill to pay attention to her. She uses her former suitor to stage a fake affair, but her plan backfires when she ends up trapped in a phone closet listening to people critique her age and past choices.

• Poppy Stafford: A fierce, uncompromising militant suffragette. She wants political equality and refuses to pay taxes to a government that denies her the vote, forcing her barrister husband into absurd legal dilemmas.

• Madge: An American woman caught up in the British suffrage struggle. She wants independence and respect, endures time in jail for the Cause, and ultimately balances her affection for Basil with her sharp principles.

In Its Own Voice

"He thrashed his way out of the car and through a pig yard. I heard the pigs squealing. And then for five awful minutes I heard nothing except his distant knock and muffled voices."

A suburban wife waits in terror while her fake suitor seeks help at a remote farmhouse during their late-night escape.

"I didn't make the Ten Commandments," said a voice from the rear of the room, "but I'll get hell just the same if I break them. What have you got to say about that?"

An unruly spectator interrupts a suffragette's impassioned rally with an unexpected bit of commonsense logic.

"I'm going to see you alone if I have to steal you," he said.

A confident bachelor falls directly into the subtle trap laid by a clever young woman playing hard to get.

What It's Really About

Beneath its buoyant comic surface, the collection explores the friction between social expectations and personal liberty. Rinehart takes aim at the stifling routines of early twentieth-century marriage and high society, where boredom often drives men and women to dangerous or foolish pastimes. The stories examine power dynamics within relationships, questioning whether women must resort to manipulation, scandal, or open political rebellion to gain control over their own lives. Whether depicting a wife trying to shock her husband into attentiveness or a suffragette fighting tax laws, the book asks how individuals retain their identity and agency within rigid social institutions.

Why Read It Today

This collection is a delightful fit for readers who enjoy sharp-witted period comedies, clever dialogue, and independent female protagonists. Rinehart’s writing moves with remarkable speed; her heroines are pragmatic, funny, and refreshingly direct about their ambitions. Reading the book feels like overhearing brilliant, cynical gossip from a remarkably observant friend who refuses to take high-society posturing seriously.

The book does present a few era-specific challenges that modern readers should anticipate. The humor relies heavily on the social conventions, slang, and legal structures of the 1910s, including forgotten court laws and early political debates surrounding women's suffrage. Some readers may find the lighthearted treatment of real political struggles a bit whimsical, or tire of the casual privilege enjoyed by the wealthy characters. However, the snappy pacing, timeless comic timing, and genuine warmth of the narrative easily bridge the historical gap, making it a bright and entertaining read.