Chapter Text
Prologue
Sydney, Australia 2083
Aged 23
The recently discovered journals of the late Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will be placed up at auction next Tuesday now that the two hundred year old folios have been verified. Historians add that the three journals are in remarkable condition considering their age and having been discovered last year in a church basement outside of Edinburgh. Originally their authenticity was questioned when the journals brought to light revelations about one the inspiration for some of Sir Conan Doyle’s most infamous characters. The journals reveal in detail both Conan Doyle and known Holmes muse Doctor Joseph Black’s brief encounters with a young opera singer names Adele Reiner. Up to now there has been no historical account of Reiner, however searching through the Royal Operas records has reviled that she did perform with the company four different times in the 1880’s.
While Ms. Reiner was no doubt the inspiration for her fictional counterpoint Irene Adler, it is also noted that she appears to have many similar characteristics to his famous sleuth, Sherlock Holmes. In fact Doyle lists her residence as 221B St. Mary’s Street, Edinburgh and remarks on her intelligence. While we will never know for certain, Doyle’s own words describe his deep adoration for Ms. Reiner, as well as a sketch of her, done in the writers own hand.
The young girls all crowded around the screen backstage in the Sydney Opera House. Lee stood in the back, pinning up her hair as she looked over the other girl’s shoulders at the broadcast. The pictures were being shown on screen, of museum curators handling the journals with gloved hands, cutting to shots of scribbling handwriting, and then the sketch of the woman, Adele Reiner.
“You know Donna,” One of the chorus girls said, turning to look at her as the lights began to dim. “She looks an awful lot like you.”
Lee gave a small noncommittal laugh and looked at the sketch shown on screen. Sometimes she stumbled her way into the history books, and sometimes history came out and called out to her. Lee looked at the sketch of herself. Her curled hair failing out of an up do, the glimpse of a bare shoulder. She smiled for a moment, wildly dreaming of what her next adventure would be. The backstage lights dimmed once more and Lee rushed to take her place in the wings, knowing exactly where she would be going next.