Whispers of the Sunken Ship (eBook)
102 Seiten
Pieter Haasbroek (Verlag)
978-1-7764915-8-2 (ISBN)
A legendary sea captain.
A vanished ship.
A desperate hunt that will drive him beyond the edge of the map.
Cape of Good Hope (1730). Renowned Captain Simon Verbeeck is summoned for a perilous mission. Track down a vessel that vanished off the west coast of Africa. Aboard that ship were vital supplies, and Helena van Gelderen, the Governor's beautiful niece.
The trail is cold, littered only with wreckage and whispers of a ruthless new pirate rising from the shadows. Failure means a young woman's life lost and the lifeline of trade falling into the hands of cutthroats. For Simon, it is a quest that will test his courage to the very brink.
Then comes the only clue. A derelict longboat adrift at sea, its crew dead, its hold stuffed with strange gold bars, and a cryptic map burned into its planks. The map points not to the ocean Simon commands, but to a desolate desert feared even by pirates.
To save Helena, Simon must follow a ghost from the past into a land where no sailor dares tread. But can he uncover the truth before the sands swallow him whole?
Filled with high-stakes adventure, romance, and mystery, Whispers of the Sunken Ship is perfect for fans of Pirates of the Caribbean and Master and Commander.
Set sail on the ninth and final book of Meiring Fouche's unforgettable pirate saga today.
A legendary sea captain.A vanished ship.A desperate hunt that will drive him beyond the edge of the map.Cape of Good Hope (1730). Renowned Captain Simon Verbeeck is summoned for a perilous mission. Track down a vessel that vanished off the west coast of Africa. Aboard that ship were vital supplies, and Helena van Gelderen, the Governor s beautiful niece.The trail is cold, littered only with wreckage and whispers of a ruthless new pirate rising from the shadows. Failure means a young woman s life lost and the lifeline of trade falling into the hands of cutthroats. For Simon, it is a quest that will test his courage to the very brink.Then comes the only clue. A derelict longboat adrift at sea, its crew dead, its hold stuffed with strange gold bars, and a cryptic map burned into its planks. The map points not to the ocean Simon commands, but to a desolate desert feared even by pirates.To save Helena, Simon must follow a ghost from the past into a land where no sailor dares tread. But can he uncover the truth before the sands swallow him whole?Filled with high-stakes adventure, romance, and mystery, Whispers of the Sunken Ship is perfect for fans of Pirates of the Caribbean and Master and Commander.Set sail on the ninth and final book of Meiring Fouche s unforgettable pirate saga today.
9. WHISPERS OF THE SUNKEN SHIP
CHAPTER 1
In the small house on the Heerengracht in the settlement of the Cape of Good Hope, there is quite a commotion and a delight.
In the middle of the front room, the large man turns around, embarrassed, and then looks at his beautiful dark-haired wife. Her eyes sparkle, and she looks at him admiringly.
“You look magnificent, my husband,” says Maria Verbeeck. “You look like a true nobleman. Now you are ready for his Excellency the Governor.”
“Yes,” says Wilhelm Rieckert. “You indeed look like a nobleman, Simon Verbeeck.”
It is the staring and the compliments that make the large, massive seafarer, Simon Verbeeck, feel so embarrassed, because he sees that even his old friend John Tobey is sitting and peeking at him admiringly. John has not said anything yet. He cannot say anything, because his tongue has been cut out by pirates.
Simon Verbeeck has reason to feel pleased. He looks neat in his black breeches, his black stockings, his black shoes with the bright, gleaming buckles, and with the black feathered hat on his dark head. Maria herself has trimmed his jet-black beard so that it is now neat and glistening, and his moustache Wilhelm Rieckert has neatly curled with special pomade.
But through the admiration, Simon sees the question in all their eyes. It is a question that is not uttered by anyone, but he can sense it. They want to ask him what he is going to do at the governor of the settlement of the Cape of Good Hope. What would be the reason that his Excellency has summoned him so unexpectedly.
“Now for my walking stick,” says Simon.
John Tobey follows the movement of his lips, jumps up, and takes the neat walking stick from the coat rack. Then Simon walks over to Maria, taps her on the cheek, and kisses her lightly.
“Keep your fingers crossed for me,” says the big seafarer. “Maybe his Excellency wants to make me head of this settlement.” They all laugh, and then Simon Verbeeck walks out, accompanied by Wilhelm Rieckert, his bosom friend and his right-hand man at sea.
The two walk down the Heerengracht in the direction of the castle, where the governor has summoned Simon.
And it is then that Wilhelm Rieckert, who shares all secrets with Simon, can no longer suppress his curiosity. “What could it be, Simon?” asks Wilhelm. “Do you have any indication why his Excellency has summoned you?”
“I don’t have the faintest idea,” answers Simon.
“Do you think it’s something important?” asks Wilhelm.
Simon stops on the flat street that is laid out with round pebbles and looks at his friend. “My dear Wilhelm,” says Simon, “his Excellency does not have a man summoned unless it is of importance. This is no small matter, of that I am certain.”
Then he looks away thoughtfully for a moment at the bright, smooth surface of the water in Table Bay. He looks at the masts and the cross-trees of a large and elegant vessel that is at anchor there. It is his own Red Ruby. He is already longing for his ship. It has been a day or two since he was on board. His men are busy cleaning the Red Ruby neatly and picking here and there where there may be a crack or a tear in the large hull.
Then the two continue, and after a while Simon Verbeeck appears before the quarters of his Excellency the Governor.
He is immediately admitted, and when he enters the spacious, neat and impressive room, the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope immediately stands up behind his huge writing desk.
He comes around and extends his hand to Simon Verbeeck.
“I am glad to see you, Verbeeck. There are matters that I want to discuss with you.”
Simon greets his Excellency and bows low. Then he sits upright in the chair that the Governor has offered him.
“Verbeeck,” says the Governor after they have sat down, “I have had you come here regarding an important matter. In what condition is your vessel?”
“My vessel is currently being refurbished, Your Excellency. It should be ready for the sea within a week. Why do you ask, Your Excellency?”
He sees a frown between the Governor’s eyes. An uncertainty. Also, concern.
The Governor pulls the quill out of the inkwell and looks at it.
“Verbeeck,” says his Excellency. “There is something wrong.”
“Something wrong, Your Excellency?”
“Yes, something serious has happened, Verbeeck. It seems to me that the pirates are active again on the West Coast of Africa.”
Simon Verbeeck feels the pinpricks throughout his body. When one talks about pirates, Simon Verbeeck’s mane stands up immediately. He has declared war on the pirates of the seven oceans. He does not let any opportunity or chance pass if he can engage in battle with the pirates.
“Why does Your Excellency say that?”
The Governor looks steadily at Simon. “Verbeeck,” he says, “a little over two months ago, the Dutch vessel the Sluiskerk departed from Rotterdam on its way here. There is still no sign of the Sluiskerk. The vessel should have arrived here a long time ago, but it has simply disappeared without a trace.”
Simon clenches his fists and looks at the Governor. He looks attentively and with an expression of concern at the head of the settlement.
“Do you think... do you think that the pirates are responsible for that?”
“I am convinced of it, Verbeeck.”
“Two months, you say? The Sluiskerk departed from Rotterdam two months ago?”
“That is correct, Verbeeck. No vessel can sail from Rotterdam to the Cape of Good Hope in two months, even if it has run into a major storm.”
“And the cargo, Your Excellency? Was it an important cargo?”
The Governor lays the quill down on the shiny surface of the writing desk. “Yes,” he says, “the Sluiskerk was carrying a special cargo. Rations for this settlement and... a lady.”
“A lady, Your Excellency?”
“Yes,” answers the Governor, “a niece of my wife.”
Simon takes a deep breath.
“Her name is Helena van Gelderen. A young girl, from our nobility, who wanted to come here to visit my wife. We feel highly upset, Verbeeck, as you can understand yourself. We were very much looking forward to the visit of Miss Van Gelderen. We are very attached to her. Therefore, you can understand that we are highly upset by the events.”
“And you have had no word or tidings of the Sluiskerk?”
Without answering immediately, the Governor gets up and walks to the wall, where there is a large map of the West Coast of Africa hanging.
“Come and look here, Verbeeck,” says the Governor. Simon follows his Excellency with interest to the wall map.
While the Governor looks at the map, he continues to speak. “Yesterday, the vessel De Neuwe Dijk arrived here. De Neuwe Dijk is a vessel that is on our route to the East. The skipper came to me and gave me a certain report. He came across certain wreckage. Beams, pieces of mast and a few bales. He saw it here.” The Governor points with his forefinger at the map.
Simon Verbeeck again feels the peculiar pins and prickles that go through his body when he gets very excited. He feels the tingling in his hair.
The place indicated by the Governor is a place feared by all seafarers. It is on the desolate and deathly west coast of Africa.
Then the great seaman looks at the Governor in surprise. The Governor looks equally surprised at him.
“So it would seem, Verbeeck,” says his Excellency, “that something has happened to the Sluiskerk. No one knows for sure if these pieces of wreckage are those of the Sluiskerk, but there is a very interesting indication. In one of the bales, the skipper of De Neuwe Dijk found meat that had been pickled in a certain way. Such meat is, among other things, ordered from Holland for the garrison of this castle. I am almost certain that an ordinary vessel would not have had such meat on board. It is meat that I specifically ordered for the settlement. It makes me think that the pieces of wreckage are those of the Sluiskerk.”
Simon stares at the place on the map indicated by the Governor, and all sorts of thoughts flash through his mind. Could it be a storm? Or could it really be pirates who sent this ship to the depths? And if it is so that the Sluiskerk perished, why exactly in this place? From his experience, Simon knows that most skippers who know the West Coast sail as far away from this place as possible. They know the treacherous currents and they know the deathly coast, which is why they keep as far away from this place as possible. And now it seems as if the Sluiskerk found its downfall here.
“And you think it’s pirates, Your Excellency?”
“It’s just an impression, Verbeeck,” answers the Governor. “But I feel almost certain that it is the work of pirates. At the Sluiskerk, or at least a little behind the Sluiskerk, there must have been another vessel whose name I do not know. I was informed in advance on what date the Sluiskerk would depart together with another vessel that was supposed to go and fetch certain government supplies from the East. There is also no sign of that vessel. I have not had any word or tidings of it either. It makes me think that something big is wrong on the West Coast.”
Then the Governor turns around and sits down again. He signals for Simon to come and sit down.
“I had you come, Verbeeck,” says the Governor, “to hear if you feel inclined to try and find out what is going on here. I need to find out what happened to these supplies, to the ship, and especially what has become of the girl. For me and my wife, it is a...
| Erscheint lt. Verlag | 3.9.2025 |
|---|---|
| Reihe/Serie | Red Ruby |
| Illustrationen | Meiring Fouche |
| Mitarbeit |
Zusammenstellung: Meiring Fouche |
| Übersetzer | Meiring Fouche |
| Sprache | englisch |
| Themenwelt | Literatur ► Fantasy / Science Fiction ► Fantasy |
| Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen | |
| Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Freizeit / Hobby ► Sammeln / Sammlerkataloge | |
| Kinder- / Jugendbuch | |
| Schlagworte | ebook pirates • english action and adventure books • historical romance and action • meiring fouche • pirates • pirate stories • red ruby • red ruby ebook series • red ruby series • sea adventure • sea pirate ebook • sea pirate stories • sea pirate story • Treasure Hunt |
| ISBN-10 | 1-7764915-8-0 / 1776491580 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1-7764915-8-2 / 9781776491582 |
| Informationen gemäß Produktsicherheitsverordnung (GPSR) | |
| Haben Sie eine Frage zum Produkt? |
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