Read Online E. Godz by Robert Asprin, Esther Friesner - Free Book Online Page B

gloating and doing a victory
dance, even if it was just to honor a small victory. That wasn't so hard, she thought. That
was even ... fun! Fiorella already sees that I'm smart, that I can think on my feet—or on
her settee—and that I've got to be the only worthy successor to my mother's empire.
Besides, I'm a woman. That's got to count for something with this country's number one
wiccan! It's a Goddess thing.
    She set down her teacup and said, "Fiorella, under normal circumstances I would
enjoy a long chat with you, but since we're both businesswomen, we know that
sometimes one must sacrifice nicety to necessity. I hope you won't mind my cutting to
the chase, but you do understand that I'm—that I'm working under a terrible deadline."
    "Of course." Fiorella removed a cobwebby lace handkerchief from one long, black
sleeve and dabbed at her eyes. "Your poor mother, my dear friend Edwina. So sad. So
sudden. So—so strange. When I first heard about her condition I rather wondered why—
It just wasn't like her to—to—" Fiorella's voice trailed off and a distracted look came into
her face that had nothing to do with sorrow.
    Peez didn't know why or whither the witch-queen's attention had wandered, but she
determined to recapture it forthwith. There were other places for her to be, other people
to meet. She was doing all right so far, mastering her innate awe of beautiful people,
handling a face-to-face meeting, but she didn't know if she could keep it up indefinitely.
    "I don't think any of us would be our usual selves if our doctors had just handed us
that sort of news," she said. "We owe it to Mother to help her get all of her affairs in
order while we can, if only to unburden her spirit."
    "Is there really no hope?"
    Peez shook her head. "Mother would have told me if there were. You know what an
optimist she is. A visionary, really. Your organization was one of our first clients." Peez
was pleased with herself for that our. "You saw how she built up E. Godz bit by bit,
channeling the power, giving back far more than she ever got, making it all run smoothly
for everyone involved. E. Godz meant—means everything to her. She gave her life for
the dream. She worked too long, too hard for it to all go to pieces. If the company is to
continue to succeed, we've got to make a commitment to excellence, dedicate ourselves
to the future, to fresh leadership that's devoted to maintaining the same high standards
that—"
    "How do you do that?" Fiorella asked.
    "Do what?" Peez was brought up short by the interruption.
    "Talk for so long without stopping for a breath and without saying much of anything.
It's half empty sentiment, half corporate claptrap, and all pure piffle." She helped herself
to more tea. "Look, Peez, I know why you're here. As you said yourself, we're both
businesswomen who know how to cut to the chase. You want to take over as the head of
E. Godz, Inc. after Edwina's gone, right?"
    "And why shouldn't I?" It was Peez's turn to sound testy.
    "No, the proper question is why should you? Your mother always gave my people
value for money—"
    "I'll do that, too," Peez cut in.
    "Easy enough for you to say. But how do you propose to do it? I don't know you,
Peez; not the way I know your mother. I can't tell what your management style is or if it's
what I want for my organization or even if you have a style worthy of the name. Are you
going to let things coast, playing the 'If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It' card, or are you going
to be so hands-on that you don't leave one corporate brick standing on top of another?
And why should I assume that whatever your style, I won't like your brother's better?"
    Peez's face hardened at the mention of Dov. "When did you talk to him?" she
demanded coldly.
    Fiorella shrugged her beautiful shoulders. "Does it matter? We both know he's out
there. And since I was the one who had to mention him in the first place, I don't think that
the two of you have