dramathathadbeenplayingoutaroundMillennium.
Theyhadlunchtogether.BlomkviststoleasidelongglanceatPernilla.HehadnotseenhisdaughtersincesheturneduptovisithiminHedestad.HerealisedthathehadfailedtodiscusshermaniaforthatsectinSkellefte?withhermother.Hecouldnottellthemthatitwashisdaughter’sobviouslyprofoundknowledgeoftheBiblethathadsethimontherighttrackregardingHarrietVanger’sdisappearance.Hehadnottalkedtohisdaughtersincethen.
Hewasnotagoodfather.
HekissedhisdaughtergoodbyeafterthelunchandmetSalanderatSlussen.TheywentouttoSandhamn.TheyhadnotseenmuchofeachothersincetheMillenniumbombexploded.TheyarrivedlateonChristmasEveandstayedfortheholidays.
Blomkvistwasentertainingpany,asalways,butSalanderhadanuneasyfeelingthathewaslookingatherwithanespeciallyoddexpressionwhenshepaidbacktheloanwithachequefor120,000kronor.
TheytookawalktoTrovillandback,hadChristmasdinnerattheinn,andwentbacktothecabinwheretheylitafireinthewoodstove,putonanElvisCD,anddevotedthemselvestosomeplainoldsex.WhenSalanderfromtimetotimecameupforair,shetriedtoanalyseherfeelings.
ShehadnoproblemwithBlomkvistasalover.Therewasobviouslyaphysicalattraction.Andhenevertriedtotutorher.
Herproblemwasthatshecouldnotinterpretherownfeelingsforhim.Notsincebeforereachingpubertyhadsheloweredherguardtoletanotherpersongetsocloseasshehadwithhim.Tobequitehonest,hehadatryingabilitytoperateherdefencesandtogethertotalkaboutpersonalmattersandprivatefeelings.Eventhoughshehadenoughsensetoignoremostofhisquestions,shetalkedaboutherselfinawaythatshewouldnever,evenunderthreatofdeath,haveimagineddoingwithanyotherperson.Itfrightenedherandmadeherfeelnakedandvulnerabletohiswill.
Atthesametime—whenshelookeddownathisslumberingformandlistenedtohimsnoring—shefeltthatshehadneverbeforeinherlifehadsuchatrustinanotherhumanbeing.SheknewwithabsolutecertaintythatMikaelwouldneverusewhatheknewabouthertohurther.Itwasnotinhisnature.
Theonlythingtheyneverdiscussedwastheirrelationshiptoeachother.S