Cruise of the Golden Poppy — Ruth McCarthy Sears

For Roberta Royale, working for the Drake Steamship Company had been a dream come true. And now she stood by helplessly, seeing it destroyed, knowing she might save it . . . but at the cost of her own personal happiness.

Drake SS . . .

For a recent graduate of Miss Lamarr's institute of Business Practices, landing a job at the head office of the Drake Steamship Lines was definitely a coup, and young Roberta Royale couldn't wait to tell her Aunt Gerta!

Though happy for the niece she had made happier to see her make a good marriage. Roberta couldn't convince her she wanted a career, not a wedding. She had herself convinced . . .

But that was before she met ruggedly handsome, teasing Anthony Hayden, one of the most promising members of the Drake “family.”

Their romance had to wait when word came of the shocking death of the company's kindly old president.

With his spoiled, self-centered stepson Carter taking over, everyone expected the worst, and they seemed to be right. Carter had no love for Drake SS, and when rejected by Roberta was added to lifelong feelings of resentment and frustration, he deliberately set out to destroy it. . .