Below is the Prologue of my book, "The Strange Case of Robert Louis Stevenson". If you like what you read and want to carry on - the book is available HERE.
The Strange Case of Robert Louis Stevenson by Peter Regan
PROLOGUE
“Ghastly Murder - Ripper strikes again!” bellows a young boy waving a newspaper high above his head as he stands at his post outside the Lyceum Theatre. However no one seems to be paying him much attention. The passers-by probably do not even distinguish his dirt covered face and ink smothered hands from the dingy lit Victorian London streets. He probably thought he would have a good night being so close to the theatre, with all its patrons coming and going. No matter, he will stand by his post until his papers are sold.
Inside the brightly lit Lyceum, separated from the hustle and bustle of the street and the sales cries of murder, the foyer is packed full of eager patrons anticipating the night’s performance. They slowly flow through bottlenecked double doors to enter the auditorium and take their seats. Dotted around the foyer are several posters for the week’s current run – ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - See Robert Louis Stevenson's masterpiece come to life’. The sea of theatregoers is momentarily separated as a young woman begins to strong arm her way through from the auditorium to the foyer, fighting against the crowd. Harriett Jay is not one to be pushed around and holds her ground in the horde of oncoming bodies. Her eyes open wide as she frantically scans the crowd looking for someone. She approaches the main entrance doors in a panic, forcing her way out onto the street and pauses for a moment by the newspaper boy and his pile of unsold copies. She looks anxiously around, surveying the area, not sure where to turn next.
“`Ere Missus – care for a gander?” the newspaper boy asks.
Harriett looks down with a smile, “Not tonight mate– looking for someone.” Her feet march her on away from the bustle of the theatre entrance, looking for any sign of her target.
As she walks further the surrounding air becomes calmer, and in the sudden lull of energy Harriett manages to catch the sound of someone coughing, coming from the alleyway a few steps before her. She quickens her pace to investigate but stops before moving any further so she can peek around the corner, slowly and cautiously.
Finally, she has found him. A slender frame of a man, leaning against the wall coughing loudly, clutching violently at his chest, struggling to catch his breath and unsteady on his feet. Harriett immediately rushes over. “Robert, thank God.” she says, reaching out to support her friend’s weak frame.
“Medicine…” Robert grunts between breaths “… the hotel.” Harriett takes Robert’s arm and places it around her shoulders to take some of his weight and begins to lead him out of the alleyway, back to his hotel.
***
Robert sits in a large armchair in front of an open fireplace; a small, cosy fire lights up the room with a warm orange glow. Harriett is kneeling before the fire, taking a steaming kettle, and filling a teapot beside her. She begins stirring the leaves to disperse the flavour before standing with the teapot in hand. Robert struggles in his chair and once again tries to regain control of another violent coughing fit. Harriett turns to see him crushing up a white tablet (although Robert is not trying too hard to hide it). He tips the powder onto his left hand, behind his thumb, raises his hand to his face and takes a long snort leaning back in his chair.
The coughing slowly subsides.
Harriett walks over to a table between Robert and an empty chair and sets down the teapot on the tray alongside two cups. “So, do you cough because you take it, or take it because you cough?” she asks as she pours two cups of tea.
Slowly, trying to find the energy, Robert replies, “The latter. I am afraid modern medicine has cursed me an addict’s lifestyle. Forgive the crude delivery method, I’m told the body absorbs it quicker this way.”
“As long as it helps.” Harriett hands Robert a full cup and saucer.
“For a short while.”
Robert takes the cup and saucer, supporting them on his lap as he leans back in his chair and closes his eyes, able to finally catch his breath. There is a momentary calm across the room.
Harriett shuffles in her seat, takes a long sip from her cup, and decides to break the silence, “I can see now how you devised your Jekyll and Hyde story.”
Robert looks over to Harriett with one eye open and smiles. “That’s one of the many reasons why I take the drug in secret; to avoid such leaps to preposterous conclusions.”
Robert closes his eyes again, “No, that tale was birthed from far worse than a simple pill.”
Harriett stares back at Robert in anticipation. Robert opens a single eye to gauge Harriett's reaction, seeing her staring intently back at him. Caving in to the wanting expression on Harriett’s face Robert leans up, fully alert and continues, “Dear Harriett, I was hoping to take this to my grave, but, as I fear that may be closer than I’d like to believe, maybe I should pass on the true story.”
He takes his cup of tea and takes a long drink.
“Well, then…the truth.”
“I am honoured.” Harriett replies.
Robert shifts his weight to get a little more comfortable. Once settled he begins to slowly lean forward. Harriett, ready to be let in on one of the great secrets of literature, follows the motion and both lean in closer.
Robert then pauses, holds up his cup toward the tray in front of him and proclaims, “We’ll be needing more tea.”
The Strange Case of Robert Louis Stevenson is out now, available to buy now for Kindle or Paperback via Amazon.
Here is the LINK.
