Lillie said:
And as Waite was GD trained, it makes you wonder why his card is as it is.
Because he too would have made the automatic assumption of 10 = Malkuth.
While the Waite-Smith 10 of Cups can certainly be a good card still, as the illusionary rainbow in the sky suggests, it also carries an over-the-top perfectionism that is disturbingly unreal. This card can indicate expectations that can never be achieved in actuality. I sometimes call it the "white-picket fence card" - 2-1/2 children and a 2-1/2 car garage - the mythical "family values" scenario that fits only the tiniest fraction of families in the nation (and even then, never for long). It's like the ending of fairytales saying, "They lived happily ever-after," when we all know that the prince and princess probably got really tired of each other, had affairs, one of the kids died young, and they probably eventually got a divorce.
One time it came up for a couple who was temporarily moving in with her parents. The parents were welcoming, the help was appreciated, but even those best of intentions do not last long under the wear-and-tear of everyday life.
I check if there is an over-idealized dream aspect to the situation that could be painting a rosy picture and setting expectations of happiness and perfection that might be followed by disappointment or satiety (hey, the suit of Cups certainly have their share of boredom, loss, betrayal and longing for something different).
Mary