Mark Hodder - The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack (Burton & Swinburne in)

an imprint of Prometheus Books
Amherst, NY

Published 2010 by Pyr, an imprint of Prometheus Books The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack. Copyright 2010 by Mark Hodder. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, digital, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, or conveyed via the Internet or a Web site without prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Cover illustration copyright Jon Sullivan. Inquiries should be addressed to Pyr 59 John Glenn Drive Amherst, New York 14228-2119 VOICE: 716-691-0133 FAX: 716-691-0137 WWW.PYRSF.COM

14 13 12 11 10 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hodder, Mark, 1962The strange affair of Spring Heeled Jack / by Mark Hodder. p. cm. ISBN 978-1-61614-240-7 (pbk.) 1. Burton, Richard Francis, Sir, 1821-1890-Fiction. 2. Swinburne, Algernon Charles, 1837-1909-Fiction. 3. Spring heeled Jack (Legendary character)-Fiction. 4. Criminal investigation-England-London-Fiction. 5. Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, 1819-1909-Assassination attempts-Fiction. 6. Great Britain-Social conditions-19th century-Fiction. I. Title. PR6108.O28S77 2010 823'.92-dc22 2010020632 Printed in the United States of America

Dedicated to my father

M1EHAEb JOHN HONKER

ithout the faith and enthusiasm of Emma Barnes and Lou Anders, this novel might never have been published. Without the encouragement and unfailing positivity of George Mann, it might never have been written. Without the influence and genius of Mike Moorcock, it might never have been conceived. My heartfelt thanks to all.

I'd also like to express my gratitude to Saladin Ahmed, who helped with the Arabic, and to Stephane Rouvillois, who helped with the French.

A Rage to Live by Mary S. Lovell was at my side throughout this project. There are a great many biographies of Sir Richard Francis Burton, but this, in my opinion, is by far the best.

To Yolanda Lerma: thank you for being so patient, so supportive, and for feeding me!

Finally, the "famous names" who feature herein are national heroes who loom large in the British consciousness. In this novel I have, with my tongue in my cheek, mercilessly trampled on their reputations and turned them into something they most definitely were not. I did so secure in the knowledge that my tampering will damage their stature not one little bit.

A known mistake is bettor than an unknown truth.

-ARABIC PROVERB

Everything Life places in your path is an opportunity.
No matter how difficult.
No matter how upsetting.
No matter how impenetrable.
No matter how you judge it.
An opportunity.

-LIBERTINE PROPAGANDA

y God! He's killed himself)."

Sir Richard Francis Burton staggered back and collapsed into his chair. The note Arthur Findlay had passed to him fluttered to the floor. The other men turned away, took their seats, examined their fingernails, and fiddled with their shirt collars; anything to avoid looking at their stricken colleague.

From where she stood on the threshold of the "robing room," hidden by its partially closed door, Isabel Arundell could see that her lover's normally dark and intense eyes were wide with shock, filled with a sudden vulnerability. His mouth moved spasmodically, as if he were struggling to chew and swallow something indigestible. She longed to rush to his side to comfort him and to ask what tidings had wounded him; to snatch up that note and read it; to find out who had killed himself, but such a display would be unseemly in front of the small gathering, not to mention embarrassing for Richard. He, among all men, stood on his own two feet, no matter how dire the situation. Isabel alone was aware of his sensitivity; and she would never cause it to be exposed to others.

Many people-mostly those who referred to him as "Ruffian Dick"considered Burton's brutal good looks to be a manifestation of his inner nature. They could never imagine that he doubted himself; though if they were to see him now, so shaken, perhaps it might strike them that he wasn't quite the devil he appeared, despite the fierce moustache and forked beard.

It was difficult to see past such a powerful facade.

The Committee had only just gathered at the table, but after glancing at Burton's anguished expression, Sir Roderick Murchison, the president of the Royal Geographical Society, came to a decision.