A Promise of Gold — Joan Druett

THE ACTRESS -- As tough underneath as she was soft on the outside, Harriet Gray fast-talked her way onto Jake Dexter's ship, double-talked his crew into joining the rush to California, and sweet-talked her way into the captain's arms -- before she knew that was where she wanted to be. -- THE CAPTAIN -- Spurned by a young wife who left him for another, Jahaziel Dexter turned to the sea. Now all he wanted from his rough-and-tumble life was to stay alive long enough to strike it rich... or so he thought, until he met an enticing waif with spun-gold hair and a restless heart.

THE ROTTER

Like a phantom dogging Harriet's trail, Frank Sefton is polished, charming -- and utterly ruthless. Once, he had abandoned Harriet on the far-flung shores of New Zealand. Now he was back in her life -- full of schemes to steal what was rightfully hers.