faPetterssonboat.HereturnedtotheFortressandtookapathuptoafence—hehadeto?sterg?rdenfromtheotherside.
Hefollowedthemeanderingpaththroughthewoods,roughlyparalleltothefieldsof?sterg?rden.Thepathwasdifficulttonegotiate—therewerepatchesofmarshthathehadtoskirt.Finallyhecametoaswampandbeyonditabarn.Asfarashecouldseethepathendedthere,ahundredyardsfromtheroadto?sterg?rden.
Beyondtheroadlaythehill,S?derberget.Blomkvistwalkedupasteepslopeandhadtoclimbthelastbit.S?derberget’ssummitwasanalmostverticalclifffacingthewater.HefollowedtheridgebacktowardsHedeby.Hestoppedabovethesummercottagestoenjoytheviewoftheoldfishingharbourandthechurchandhisowncottage.Hesatonaflatrockandpouredhimselfthelastofthelukewarmcoffee.
CeciliaVangerkeptherdistance.Blomkvistdidnotwanttobeimportunate,sohewaitedaweekbeforehewenttoherhouse.Shelethimin.
“YoumustthinkI’mquitefoolish,afifty-six-year-old,respectableheadmistressactinglikeateenagegirl.”
“Cecilia,you’reagrownwoman.Youhavetherighttodowhateveryouwant.”
“Iknowandthat’swhyI’vedecidednottoseeyouanymore.Ican’tstand…”
“Please,youdon’towemeanexplanation.Ihopewe’restillfriends.”
“Iwouldlikeforustoremainfriends.ButIcan’tdealwitharelationshipwithyou.Ihaven’teverbeengoodatrelationships.I’dlikeitifyouwouldleavemeinpeaceforawhile.”
CHAPTER16
Sunday,June1–Tuesday,June10
Aftersixmonthsoffruitlesscogitation,thecaseofHarrietVangercrackedopen.InthefirstweekofJune,Blomkvistuncoveredthreetotallynewpiecesofthepuzzle.Twoofthemhefoundhimself.Thethirdhehadhelpwith.
AfterBerger’svisitinMay,hehadstudiedthealbumagain,sittingforthreehours,lookingatonephotographafteranother,ashetriedtorediscoverwhatitwasthathehadreactedto.Hefailedagain,soheputthealbumasideandwentbacktoworkonthefamilychronicleinstead.
OnedayinJunehewasinHedestad,thinkingaboutsomethingaltogetherdifferent,whenhisbusturnedontoJ?rnv?gsgatananditsuddenlycametohimwhathadbeengerminatinginthebackofhismind.Theinsightstruckhimlikeathun