to think. That woman has got you so screwed up you can't think straight."
"That's enough," Kathryn said, pointing to the door. "Say good-night to your daughter. She needs to be in bed."
"You don't believe I love you, do you?"
"I haven't had time to think about it."
"It's not something you think about. Either you believe me or you don't."
"I admit the attraction between us is very strong, but we haven't known each other very long. You've been under a lot of stress, both here and in Geneva. You probably see me as a relief from Geneva and as way to help you solve your problems with Cynthia."
"I'm glad you hire professional psychologists," Ron said. "That's some of the worst nonsense I've ever heard come out of an intelligent woman's mouth."
"Then I'm surprised you think I'm so intelligent."
"I've attacked the one thing in your world you can't deal with rationally, your sister. And because you can't deal with it, you strike out at anyone who threatens this unbalanced, symbiotic relationship."
"Why do you say unbalanced?" She was so coldly furious with him she didn't know why she asked.
"You do all the giving, she does all the taking."
"I've told you - "
"You don't realize it, but your sister has ruined more than your relationship with your parents. She's made it impossible for you to deal with any man on a normal basis. If it's a male, he's either inadequate like her husband, wild like her kids, or a villain like your father. You can't look at any of us without filtering what you see through the mirror of your sister's narcissism."
"I'm apparently not the only armchair psychologist."
"I'm trained to study people. To do my job well, I have to be objective. I need to know what they think and why they think it, not what I want them to think. You've painted us all black and challenged us to prove otherwise."
"So far no man has managed to meet the challenge."
She didn't mean that, but he'd made her so angry she couldn't control her tongue. He couldn't expect her to calmly accept his calling her a mindless sycophant - well, not that exactly, but he certainly thought she wasn't capable of making up her mind without Elizabeth's help - yet accept his word on people he knew nothing about.
"Would you admit it if he did?" Ron asked.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Because it would challenge too many of your fears. As long are men as unreliable, you don't have to trust one of us."
"Why wouldn't I trust the right man if he came along?"
"Maybe because you think your mother got a raw deal. I know you think your sister did. Maybe you're attracted to the very kind of man you fear. I don't know. I thought I knew you until I saw you with your sister."
"And I thought I knew you. It looks like the physical attraction made us think we had more in common than we do. My father always said a woman should never let the chemistry between herself and a man blind her to reality."
"That's the first time I've ever heard you quote your father."
"You probably both think the same way." Suddenly she felt as though her body weighed an extra hundred pounds. She had to sit down, she had to rest, she had to be alone. "Now you'd better go."
"I came to tell you about a plan I thought of this afternoon."
"It's probably not a good idea. I would have to consult my sister before I could tell you what I thought. And you know you don't like my sister."
"If you were my wife, I'd ban her from the house until she learned to behave toward you with respect and courtesy."
"Then I guess it's a good thing I'll never be your wife." She hadn't meant to say that, either. But it was true. Even if he really did love her and want to marry her, she could never be his wife. She had refused to let her parents come between her and her sister. She couldn't let Ron do it. "Now please go. I'm really very tired."
"When can I see you tomorrow?"
"I don't know. Maybe you shouldn't - "
"I'll call."
"I have got a lot to do tomorrow."
"I'll call."
She wasn't prepared for him to take her in his arms and kiss her ruthlessly. She tried to resist, but it was impossible. She melted into his arms and returned his kiss.
"I'll call," he said when he broke the kiss. Then he was gone.
Kathryn closed the door