It was Hendrik Sanderson who first heard the rumour that a ship had gone down between Amsterdam and Hull. He caught snatches of the seamen’s conversation on his voyage home the next day, and noticed that some of them were searching the surrounding sea with telescopes. Eventually, feeling uneasy, he found his way to the bridge to make enquiries of the captain.
‘It’s true,’ the captain told him. ‘It’s feared that a ship is lost. There were reports early this morning that an explosion was heard last night close to the English shore.’
‘What kind of ship? Have you heard?’
‘No, I’m sorry, I don’t know anything more. But there was debris suggesting it was a small vessel, perhaps a cargo packet.’
Hendrik turned away feeling sick to his stomach. It couldn’t be. Surely not. He couldn’t curb his anxiety for the rest of the voyage and as soon as they were berthed in Hull he made his way to the Dock Office to enquire. But they couldn’t or were unwilling to say whether a ship was missing.
‘Come back later, sir, if you would. We’ll have a better idea once we’ve logged everyone in. Many ships might have delayed their sailings because of the weather and not arrived back yet.’
It gave him some small hope, but he was still uneasy. At home he confessed his fears to his wife, who put her arms round him and held him tight. ‘Thank God you didn’t take that ship,’ she wept. ‘We must hold fast to the hope that it wasn’t Frederik’s.’
But although Hendrik nodded, he didn’t feel much hope, for when he had asked the shipping clerk if the Mary Brown had returned, the man had evaded his question.
He had coffee with Alice and then made his way to Frederik’s office by the dockside, where he asked to speak to the manager.
‘I might be worrying unnecessarily, Reynoldson, but have you heard anything from Mr Vandergroene? I met him in Amsterdam the night before last.’ He cleared his throat. ‘I, erm, that is …’ He took a deep breath. ‘The passenger ferry was cancelled, and he said he was going to come home on the Mary Brown. I don’t suppose …’ He didn’t need to say any more, for the expression on the manager’s face told him all he needed to know.
‘Is there a chance that he changed his mind, sir?’ Reynoldson asked in a low voice. ‘Perhaps took a ship the next morning?’
‘Would he not be home by now? And if he had taken the passenger ship I would have seen him; it wasn’t full. But you’re right, he might have changed his mind; we must hope that he did.’
‘Yes,’ Reynoldson murmured. ‘And if our worst fears are realized … as you are a friend of Frederik’s would you be so kind as to accompany me and whoever in authority might need to be there when we visit Mrs Vandergroene? I – that is …’ It was as if he had run out of words to say.
Poor man, Sanderson thought. He’s overwhelmed. He knows more about the missing ship than he’s admitting. ‘As soon as you have news, one way or another, will you send for me?’ he said quietly, and Reynoldson nodded and opened the door to see him out.
A message came the following morning, confirming his fears. Alice asked her husband if he would like her to go with him to visit Rosamund, along with Reynoldson and the official from the port authority. ‘Or will there be too many of us?’
‘I’m fearful of upsetting you in your condition,’ he said. ‘I don’t want anything to happen to you.’
She rested his hand on her belly. ‘This child is quite safe and you know that I am strong, but I’m thinking of Margriet. That poor child adored her father.’
Rosamund’s reaction was much worse than they expected. After her initial refusal to believe the news, she began to scream at them, demanding that Florence go at once and bring Margriet home from school.
‘What are we to do?’ she shrieked. ‘How can we survive alone? This can’t be right. There’s been a mistake!’
Alice whispered to her husband that she would go to fetch Margriet herself and that Florrie should go at once to the Vandergroenes’ doctor and ask him to come to Rosamund immediately. He didn’t want her to go alone, but after speaking to the maid Alice came back into the room and whispered that the two of them would go together as the doctor’s residence was close by the school.
‘What’s happened, ma’am?’ Florrie asked as they went down the steps and headed towards Market Place. ‘What’s wrong with ’mistress?’
‘It’s unhappy news, I’m afraid, my dear.’ Alice linked her arm. ‘You must be strong, not only to assist Mrs Vandergroene but most of all to help Margriet, for it will be more than she can bear.’ She told Florrie what had happened, patting her hand and uttering soothing murmurings as the girl began to weep.
They called in at the doctor’s first and delivered their message, and when they reached the dame school Alice explained to Miss Barker the reason why they were there. The teacher took them into her own small sitting room and brought Margriet to them.
‘Margriet, my dear,’ Alice said gently, ‘I’m so sorry to have to tell you that the ship your father was travelling on is missing. I have come to take you home to be with your mama.’
Margriet seemed confused by the term ‘missing’ and wrinkled her brow, pressing her lips together. ‘But Papa will be all right, won’t he? He’ll find his way home again?’
‘I don’t know, my dear,’ Alice said softly, and added a small lie. ‘We are waiting for news. But you must be prepared to be strong and help your mama.’ Although, she thought, it should be the other way round.
When they arrived back in Parliament Street, the doctor’s carriage was outside the door and the doctor had already administered a strong sedative to Rosamund. She was calmer, but on seeing Margriet she gave a moan and uttered, ‘Margriet! We are lost. What will become of us without your papa?’
Margriet stared silently at the solemn group of adults gathered there. Her lips moved, but nothing came out until she eventually whispered, ‘Papa!’