Lingering questions regarding Peace's aunt Olivia [Spoilers]

One thing that irks me a bit more than other questions Peace leaves you with, is regarding aunt Olivia.

She's portrayed as a sort of modern woman before her time, quite willful and seemingly unperturbed by how the rest of society views her, she isn't afraid to live her life how best she sees fit regardless of what anyone else might think, and seemingly has the money to do it comfortably (she's a big client of the local bank in terms of putting money in). We see that she's hanging out with these 3 suitors. Blaine the banker is completely ill suited for her, and seemingly she knows that as he doesn't seem to go anywhere with her in the end. Macafee the department store owner shares some interests with her, but seemingly they have more of a competitive and adversarial relationship rather than being something close to soulmates. He doesn't really match her desired lifestyle or is on par with her intellectually. Professor Peacock, while surely having his own negatives, seems to be the most suited for her. Not only in being an intellectual match for her, bet he doesn't live an exactly traditional lifestyle himself as well (going around on treasure searches and whatnot). He's also said to be young, and there's some Wolfean shenanigans regarding how old Olivia is, but they seem to be relatively close in age. They are also said to be the most beautiful people in their respective towns. So young, handsome, intelligent, sharing interests, seemingly having their own relatively compatible lifestyles...

Yet this guy, Julius Smart, comes from seemingly nowhere and sweeps her up. OK, not quite from nowhere, as he's an associate of Peacock's, and Olivia asked him to bring Smart over to Macafee's birthday party which Olivia is throwing for him. How well did they know each other before this event? Does she already like him by then? Why? He tells one good story at the party, and that's enough for Olivia to do a total 180 and become a regular boring wife to this guy which she can't be more different from, the complete opposite thing of what she had been saying she wanted till now. This age thing comes into question again here. Olivia is said to be in her mid 20s, which is most likely wrong, and Smart is said to be 5 years younger than her, but hes already finished a Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy and seemingly spend some time after traveling searching for a job. How much younger is Smart than Olivia, and is he younger at all? Does this play into he choosing him at all? Apparently the marriage is so bad and they are so incompatible (which from what we learn later about Smart would seem to be obvious to everyone including Olivia way before she married him) that they barely interact and Olivia cheats with Macafee, seemingly Peacock (does she really sleep with Peacock before she gets married as well like Alden supposes? Only with him?) as well (but not Blaine?). She also seems to entangle Alden into her marital unfulfillment.

This doesn't add up at all.

This also appears to be connected with Olivia's death. She dies in a hit and run car accident. But Wolfe gives us really only two clues to mull over here. If one does the math, it seems like Alden gets his first car right around when Olivia dies (I think this is a red herring). The only other clue seems to be the bit about Peacock not using his car when he comes over to meet Olivia, he comes by train, and that letter from Peacock to Smart Alden never opens. Did professor Peacock kill Olivia? Wouldn't it make more sense for him to kill Smart, as seemingly she's cheating with him either way. It seems likely that she may remarry him after Smart's death.

What do you make of all of this? I feel like there is something I'm missing. What was Wolfe going for here?

I'm also wondering whether Olivia's unfulfilled relationships and marriage are somehow thematically related to Alden's failed romance with Margaret Lorne and his other prospects.

Man what an amazing character aunt Olivia is, one of the best I've read. The whole book is amazing. Wolfe always strikes gold.