ativelyhestartedmassagingthesoleofherfootwithhisthumb.
“I’mmarriedtoo,”shesaid.
“Iknow.No-onegetsdivorcedintheVangerclan.”
“Ihaven’tseenmyhusbandingettingonfortwentyyears.”
“Whathappened?”
“That’snoneofyourbusiness.Ihaven’thadsexin…hmmm,itmustbethreeyearsnow.”
“Thatsurprisesme.”
“Why?It’samatterofsupplyanddemand.Ihavenointerestinaboyfriendoramarriedmanorsomeonelivingwithme.Idobestonmyown.WhoshouldIhavesexwith?Oneoftheteachersatschool?Idon’tthinkso.Oneofthestudents?Adeliciousstoryforthegossipingoldladies.AndtheykeepaclosewatchonpeoplecalledVanger.AndhereonHedebyIslandthereareonlyrelativesandpeoplealreadymarried.”
Sheleanedforwardandkissedhimontheneck.
“DoIshockyou?”
“No.ButIdon’tknowwhetherthisisagoodidea.Iworkforyouruncle.”
“AndI’mthelastonewho’sgoingtotell.Buttobehonest,Henrikprobablywouldn’thaveanythingagainstit.”
Shesatastridehimandkissedhimonthemouth.Herhairwasstillwetandfragrantwithshampoo.Hefumbledwiththebuttonsonherflannelshirtandpulleditdownaroundhershoulders.Shehadnobra.Shepressedagainsthimwhenhekissedherbreasts.
Bjurmancameroundthedesktoshowherthestatementofherbankaount—whichsheknewdowntothelast?re,althoughitwasnolongeratherdisposal.Hestoodbehindher.Suddenlyhewasmassagingthebackofherneck,andheletonehandslidefromherleftshoulderacrossherbreasts.Heputhishandoverherrightbreastandleftitthere.Whenshedidnotseemtoobject,hesqueezedherbreast.Salanderdidnotmove.Shecouldfeelhisbreathonherneckasshestudiedtheletteropeneronhisdesk;shecouldreachitwithherfreehand.
Butshedidnothing.IftherewasonelessonHolgerPalmgrenhadtaughtherovertheyears,itwasthatimpulsiveactionsledtotrouble,andtroublecouldhaveunpleasantconsequences.Sheneverdidanythingwithoutfirstweighingtheconsequences.
Theinitialsexualassault—whichinlegaltermswouldbedefinedassexualmolestationandtheexploitationofanindividualinapositionofdependence,andcouldintheorygetBjurmanuptotwoyearsinprison—lastedonlyafewseconds.But