Vaiti of the Islands

A storm‑swept dawn on the rugged coast of Caithness sets the stage for a tangled web of scandal, ruined reputations, and vanished vessels. In the wake of a notorious card‑game dispute and a mysterious loss at sea, whispers of forgotten aristocrats and colonial officers echo through the cliffs, hinting at secrets that have long been buried beneath the waves. The prologue’s vivid tableau of restless seas and fading glory draws listeners into a world where honor and tragedy collide.

Years later, the narrative follows Vaiti, a resilient young woman hardened by her upbringing in a Tahitian convent and now thrust aboard a creaking schooner in the South Pacific. With a drunken captain and a crew on edge, she must navigate both literal tempests and the undercurrents of a past that refuses to stay hidden. Her sharp wit and fierce determination promise a gripping voyage that blends historical intrigue with the restless spirit of an untamed ocean.