At some point on the morning of the second day she came to a terrifying
realisation. She had no idea how it had happened or how she was supposed to
cope with it. She was in love for the first time in her life.
That he was almost twice her age did not bother her. Nor did the fact that at the
moment he was one of the most newsworthy people in Sweden, and his picture
was even on the cover of Newsweek—that was all just soap opera. But Blomkvist
was no erotic fantasy or daydream. It would have to come to an end. It could not
possibly work out. What did he need her for? Maybe she was just a way to pass the
time while he waited for someone whose life was not a fucking rat hole.
What she had realised was that love was that moment when your heart was about
to burst.
When Blomkvist woke up late that morning, she had made coffee and been out to
buy breakfast rolls. He joined her at the table and noticed at once that something
in her attitude had changed—she was a bit more reserved. When he asked her if
anything was wrong, she gave him a neutral, uncomprehending look.
On the first day between Christmas and New Year’s, Blomkvist took the train up to
Hedestad. He was wearing his warmest clothes and his proper winter shoes when
Frode met him at the station and quietly congratulated him on the media success.
It was the first time since August that he had visited Hedestad, and it was almost
exactly one year ago since he had visited it for the first time. They chatted politely,
but there was also a great deal that had gone unsaid between them, and Blomkvist
felt uncomfortable.
Everything had been prepared, and the business with Frode took only a few
minutes. Frode offered to deposit the money in a convenient foreign bank account,
but Blomkvist insisted that it should be paid like a normal, legitimate fee to his
company.
“I can’t afford any other type of payment,” he said curtly when Frode persisted.
The purpose of his visit was not solely financial. Blomkvist had left clothes, books,
and a number of his own things in the cottage when he and Salander had
abandoned Hedeby in great haste.