The Spy (eBook)

A Cape pirate adventure, Book 9

Gerrie Radlof, Pieter Haasbroek (Autoren)

Pieter Haasbroek (Herausgeber)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
89 Seiten
Pieter Haasbroek (Verlag)
9780000727411 (ISBN)

Infos

A notorious pirate.

A notorious pirate.

A relentless admiral.

A spy whose betrayal could sink them all.

Plunge into the Golden Age of Piracy (1690-1720), where the treacherous waters of the Cape of Good Hope are just the beginning of a worldwide adventure.

In the treacherous waters of the 18th-century Indian Ocean, fear has a name, Captain Oloff. Ruthless, cunning, and untouchable, he is the phantom menace haunting the French Empire's trade routes. But Admiral Pierre de la Fonte has sworn vengeance, and he will stop at nothing to see the infamous sea pirate hang.

To bring Oloff down, the French crown deploys their most dangerous weapon. Rene le Dour, a swordsman and master spy, tasked with infiltrating Oloff's pirate stronghold in Madagascar. Yet loyalty proves slippery on lawless shores. As Rene is seduced by plunder and power, his allegiance shifts, and his ambition could shatter the admiral's mission from within.

Meanwhile, Oloff fights a war of his own, to protect Rynette du Bois, the woman he loves, from falling into de la Fonte's grasp. But when he hides her in Angola, Oloff unwittingly sails her straight into the path of a devastating pirate fleet attack, an assault he is accused of leading.

Now, with a traitor in his ranks, a vengeful admiral at his heels, and an innocent city on the brink of ruin, Oloff must outwit them all in a deadly game of espionage, loyalty, and survival. One wrong move, and everything he secretly fights for will be lost forever.

The Spy is a gripping blend of pirate adventure, historical suspense, and high-seas action, perfect for fans of Pirates of the Caribbean, nautical historical fiction, and swashbuckling heroes with dark secrets.

Set sail on danger, betrayal, and unforgettable adventure in the ninth book of the Oloff the Sea Pirate series. Discover the legend today.

Textauszug

9. THE SPY

Chapter 1

“It is a deplorable state of affairs.” The words cut through the small room and would have echoed loudly had it not been for the expensive wall hangings and the heavy curtains before the windows. “Oloff the pirate is a threat to the economy of our country. He must be driven from the sea, preferably captured so that he can be publicly hanged as is the custom with robbers of his ilk.”

When Count Durette ceased speaking, no one in the small audience responded immediately. The count is the most influential minister at the French court, for under him falls the navy and thus also almost full control of the French East India Company, that pulsating artery of France’s prosperity.

The few admirals and directors of the French East India Company who had been summoned by the minister looked at each other or lowered their eyes. They felt uncertain whether the minister was personally accusing them, for they did not know why he had called this meeting. Therefore, they avoided his piercing eyes, which rested on one after the other.

Only a young admiral seemed completely at ease. He sat upright in the armchair with the gilded armrests. His posture was proud, and his slender face was clean-shaven. His eyes had an expression bordering on the callous, like that of someone who has much to feel bitter about. But the faint smile around his lips indicated that he had not resigned himself to his fate, but rather had deliberate intentions to eliminate or avenge the factors that had caused his bitterness.

“De la Fonte,” the minister resumed after a while, glancing fleetingly in the direction of the young admiral, “has just returned from the East. His report is disturbing. He has had the misfortune to clash with pirates several times, and especially with this so-called Captain Oloff. It is not his fault, and I accept his report without question, that the pirate escaped the small fleet that M. De la Fonte had at his disposal. In any case, that is not the matter at hand at the moment. The reason I have summoned you is because this evil has once again been strongly brought to my attention and because I have decided that it must now be brought to an end once and for all. I understand that the blow our trade with the East is suffering as a result of the activities of the pirates will soon be irreparable.”

“Eighty-four of our merchant ships,” added a director of the French East India Company, “have presumably become pirate prey in the past year, apart from the few that did not return or reach their destination due to the usual sea hazards.”

“We are not the only ones, of course,” one of the admirals opined. “The Dutch and English companies are suffering even greater losses.”

“Their losses have nothing to do with us,” the minister snapped at him, his voice sharp with impatience. “We shall confine ourselves to our own affairs.” He hesitated, looking at some documents in front of him. “With every voyage it becomes more difficult to man the ships. Everyone is afraid of that lurking death in the Indian Ocean. This pirate threat, with Captain Oloff at the helm, is therefore causing us not only direct but also indirect damage.” He paused. “I have here various reports from eyewitnesses who managed to escape. They have seen the two large ships of Oloff the pirate when our merchant ships are attacked, plundered, or sunk. From various rumours and other sources, it appears that the pirate community in those regions is highly organized. Apparently, they have a fortress on the southwest coast of Madagascar, a place called Deelen Bay.”

“Why don’t we send a fleet there then?”

“There will be an opportunity for proposals later,” the minister replied frostily to the admiral who had asked the question. “As soon as we are all aware of the full situation. This Deelen Bay is sheltered. Not only will half of our entire fleet most likely fail to take the place, but it will be impossible for them to get within a hundred miles of it before the pirates are aware of them. This will give them ample opportunity to prepare or evacuate the place. That is why I opened the meeting with specific reference to Oloff the pirate. He is the most powerful of them all. If we can restrain him, half of our task is accomplished.”

The minister stood up, and the company followed his example out of respect. “My time is limited,” Durette continued. “I leave you here to discuss the matter, and I expect a solution within the next two hours. I have His Majesty’s permission to inform you that any amount can be spent and any part of the fleet can be used, within limits of course. As long as it will contribute to bringing about the end of Oloff the pirate.”

When the minister left the room, there was a murmur of voices among the small company for a while. They all took their places again, but it took a while before they focused their attention on the young admiral, Pierre de la Fonte. From the minister’s conversation, it seemed as if De la Fonte had the most knowledge and the latest information about this matter.

“You say that he escaped you twice, Monsieur De la Fonte?” one of the directors inquired.

“I wouldn’t put it that way,” replied De la Fonte, “although that is what happened. You may recall that it was decided some time ago to replace the governor of our possessions in India.”

“Yes!” exclaimed another admiral. “Du Bois was sent to take Dupleix’s place. He was taken prisoner and later died. There was also mention of his daughter, I think her name is Rynette...”

“She was also taken prisoner,” De la Fonte interrupted him. “It is precisely because of her that I was unable to scour Oloff from the sea.” His lips were firm. His voice trembled with emotion, which caused the rest of the company to flinch slightly. His eyes flashed with a murderous hatred. Then he controlled himself and continued earnestly. “The pirates who captured Rynette du Bois and her father wanted a ransom for them. Oloff heard of this and decided to seize the prey for himself.”

“But don’t the pirates work together then?” asked a director.

“There is often discord among them. The group that originally got hold of the Du Bois separated themselves from the Deelen Bay group. In any case, Oloff managed to steal Rynette from under their noses. Outside the bay where this happened, my six ships and I were lying in wait for him.” Again De la Fonte’s anger rose at the memory of his humiliation. “I had him cornered like a rat.” He sighed. “But I had to let him go, because he had Rynette on board. He made an agreement with me to hand her over to me in exchange for his safety. I had no choice.”

“And the second time?” asked the admiral next to him.

“It was a similar case. For one reason or another, Oloff focused on getting Rynette back into his power. I thwarted his plans but could not save her and arrest him at the same time.”

“And where is the young lady now?”

“I don’t know.” De la Fonte made a despondent gesture. “She was with Dupleix in Pondicherry. But just before I returned here, she disappeared. That is why the matter is so urgent. I realised that I could no longer act on my own, and that is why I approached the minister for a solution and for reinforcements.”

“And now he expects the solution from us?” said the admiral closest to De la Fonte. “But what do you think has become of Rynette?”

“I have no doubt that Oloff kidnapped her.”

“Tell me,” asked one of the directors. “What does this Oloff fellow look like?”

Pierre de la Fonte’s mouth corners drooped. A strange twitch shot across his face. It testified to hatred and jealousy, but also to suffering.

“He is a young man,” he then said slowly. “He has flaming red hair and blue eyes. He is well-built, and I understand he is a master marksman and swordsman. In addition, it seems as if he has had a good and thorough education. And that is what makes him all the more dangerous.”

“According to your description, he is then quite attractive and still young,” the director remarked.

“Physically, yes,” De la Fonte replied against his will.

“A young lady would therefore not find his attention entirely repulsive,” said the director dryly.

The speaker was an older man than the admiral. If he had stepped forward and punched De la Fonte, the effect would probably have been less noticeable. De la Fonte sprang to his feet. His lips tightened over his teeth. His right hand rested on the hilt of his sword.

“Were it not for your years,” he finally said, so subdued that his words were barely audible, “and were it not that you speak out of ignorance, you would have died for the insinuation that someone like Rynette du Bois could be attracted to a pirate scoundrel.” So venomous was De la Fonte’s attitude that no one answered or made a remark immediately. Finally, the elderly director said,

“I admit that I spoke out of ignorance, De la Fonte. It is also possible that you reacted hastily to something that I didn’t mean.”

“The ignorance to which my colleague refers,” said another director in an attempt to ease the tension, “is of course your personal feelings towards Miss Rynette.”

They all laughed. One of the admirals even dared to pat De la Fonte good-naturedly on the shoulder. They are French, with their own particular conception of love. Reluctantly, De la Fonte had to smile.

“You will therefore understand why this matter is so serious to me,” he then said. “Action must be taken immediately.”

“That is the minister’s order,” a director remarked...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 27.8.2025
• Übersetzer: Pieter Haasbroek, Ai
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Fantasy / Science Fiction ► Fantasy
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Krimi / Thriller / Horror
• ISBN-13: 9780000727411 / 9780000727411