"Elizabeth Moon - Serrano 3 - Winning Colors" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moon Elizabeth)

"Court decision? On your competency?" Of course the court would restore full competency to Cecelia; it
would be crazy to pretend that this individual was anything but competent.
"NoтАФon the yacht."
For a moment Heris was completely confused. "NoтАФwhat about it?"
Cecelia bit off each word as if it tasted foul. "The court has decided against the petition of my family to set
aside that portion of my will which left you the yacht. Therefore, the yacht belongs to you." Heris stared at
her.
"That's . . . ridiculous. You're not comatose; you're competent. That reverses all the bequestsтАФyou told me
thatтАФ"
"Yes . . . it does. It would have, that is, if that idiot Berenice and her fatheaded husband hadn't quarreled with
my will and involved the court directly in that instance. Because the matter came under separate
adjudicationтАФdon't you love this verbiage?тАФthe court's decision is final, and not reversed by my regaining
competence. And the court decided in your favor, thank goodness, or otherwise it would've been Berenice's.
It's your yacht."
"That's the stupidest thing I ever heard of." Heris raked a hand through her dark hair. She had not even
thought about the bequest or the court's decision since Cecelia had been declared competent. "I can'tтАФwhat
am I supposed to do with a yachtтАФor you, without one?" She came to the obvious decision. "I won't take it.
I'll give it back to you."
"You can't give it back. Not unless you're willing to pay the penalty taxтАФit's within the legal limit for a
bequest, but not a gift."
"Oh . . . dear." She had no idea what that tax would be, but her own affairs were somewhat confused at the
moment, thanks to the abrupt changes in the government. She didn't know if she had enough to pay the tax
or not.
"It's not so bad," Cecelia said. Now that she'd blown her stack, she had calmed back down, and leaned
comfortably against the bulkhead. "I suppose you'll run it as a charter, and I suppose you'll let me charter it."
"Of course, if that's what it takes, butтАФwhat a mess." Still, she felt a little jolt of delight at the base of her
brain. Her own ship. Not even a Fleet captain owned a ship outright. She fought back unseemly glee with little
struggle when she realized the other implications of ownership. Docking fees. Repairs. Crew salaries. All her
responsibility now.
Cecelia's expression suggested she had already thought of these things and was enjoying Heris's realization.
"Don't worry," she said, after a moment in which Heris was trying to remember the last time the crew had
been paid, and how much was due. "I'll pay generously. I'll supply my own staff, cook, gardener. . . ."
"Er . . . just so." And there were bound to be legalities associated with running a charter, too. Heris had no
idea what kind of contractual agreement owners needed with those who hired them. What permits she might
need from whatever government bureaus were still grinding out the daily quota of paperwork.
"Kevil Mahoney," Cecelia said, with a wicked grin, as if she really could read minds. "He can tell you where
to go for legal advice, if you don't want the same person who argued your case for the bequest."
"Thanks," Heris said. "It would have been so much easierтАФ"
"I know. And I don't blame you for fighting back when my family acted like such idiots. It's not your fault,
though I was mad enough to grind you into powder too. Just when I'd gotten her back to a decent look,
instead of that lavender and teal abomination. Berenice will pay for this." She glowered. "I've filed suit against
them, and I intend to make up every fee they cost me."
"I'm sorry," Heris said again, this time for the trouble between Cecelia and her family. "It's just that I thought if
I had the ship, I could help you."
"And you did. And don't lie to me, Heris Serrano. I may be rejuvenated, but I didn't lose eighty years of
experience. One second after you were appalled, you were delighted. You've always wanted your own ship."
Heris felt herself flushing. "Yes. I did. And I tried to fight it down."
"Don't." Her employerтАФstill her employer, even though the terms would be different nowтАФgave her a wicked
grin. She had found Lady Cecelia de Marktos to be formidable enough as an unrejuvenant . . . clearly, that
had been the mellow form. "Nobody knows what the government's going to do, now; Bunny seems to be