Part 268 (2/2)

”How do you know it's a man?”

”I ...” She hesitated. The dark was lightening to gray. Because

the window was open she could hear the early gulls, like children

crying. ”I don't know, but I'm sure it is.”

”Are you threatened by men, Emma, because of what Drew did to you?”

”I'm not afraid of Dad, or Stevie. I've never been afraid of Johnno or

P.M. I couldn't be.”

”And Michael?”

She picked up her tea for the first time, drinking it cold. ”I'm not

afraid he'd hurt me.”

”But you are afraid?”

”That I wouldn't be able to-” She broke off, shaking her head. ”This

doesn't have anything to do with Michael. It's me.”

”It's natural to be wary of a physical relations.h.i.+p, Emma, when your

last experience brought only pain and humiliation. Intellectually you

know that those aren't the purposes, or the usual result, of intimacy,

but intellect and emotion run on different tracks.”

Emma nearly smiled. ”Are you saying the nightmares are a result of

s.e.xual repression?”

”I'm sure Freud would,” Katherine said mildly. ”But then I'm half

convinced the man was a lunatic. I'm just exploring possibilities.”

”I think we can rule Michael out. He's never asked me to have s.e.x with

him.”

Not make love with, Katherine noted, but have s.e.x with. She would file

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