Yolanda gave a little shiver.
“It all sounds unpleasant, underhand and illegal.”
“Officially there is nothing illegal about this,” her stepfather retorted, “and what you have to do is very simple and will not be known to anyone.”
He dropped his voice.
“Neither my secretary nor my attorney, who will be travelling with me, will know when I go to see the ship owners.”
“I am very sorry, Stepfather,” sighed Yolanda. “I know that Mama would think it wrong.”
“Your mother, whom I adored, knew nothing about business. And, as you well know, she would have done anything to help and support me if I had asked her to do so.”
This Yolanda could not deny, so she replied,
“It is something my father would never do because he would consider it as bad as cheating at cards.”
“If your father had chea
