Chapter33
A Mummy Makes the Day
Later that afternoon
When Mahmood mentioned that the Temple of Luxor was very close to the hotel, he was sincere in his claim.After a light luncheon of kebabs and mashed fava beans, Bradley went off with Mahmood’s daughter to spend the afternoon in the hotel’s parlor.The rest of the group took their leave of the hotel and made their way along the riverfront, their path taking them past a colonnade.
“This is the Temple of Luxor,” Mahmood announced.“Unlike other Egyptian temples which are oriented east-west to honor the sun god Ra, this one and the Temple of Karnak are oriented north-south along the east bank of the Nile.We are on the outside of it.You will note that over time, a good bit of rubbish has accumulated here, as have other buildings, including a mosque, Roman barracks, even a pigeon tower,” he explained.“Someday perhaps it will be cleared out, making it easier to see it as my ancestors would have seen it.”
“What are these columns from?”David asked, stopping to examine a carved column topped with a closed-bud capital.The column didn’t seem particularly tall since a good third of it was underground.
As were all the other columns in the double-rowed colonnade.
“The sun court of the temple,” Mahmood replied.
Sounds of disbelief greeted his comment.
“The wall is missing here,” he explained.“As are the roofs.But I insist we enter at the front, where we can can still find one of the obelisks.”
Knowing the other obelisk had been gifted to the French and moved to Paris a few years earlier, David grumbled a curse, his gaze taking in the debris field around him.Off to the left, a weathered old man sat cross-legged next to a number of dark items lined up on a tarp.When he smiled, only a few teeth showed.Curious, David made his way to the display of strange objects.
“What are these?”he asked, his brows furrowing at seeing the various shapes.Some items were only a foot or two in length while some were much longer.Some were nearly black while other appeared to be wrapped in fabric.
“Mummies,” the man replied.“You want?”The rest of what he said was in Arabic.
David blinked, “Mummies?”he repeated.Upon closer inspection, he realized the smaller items were—or rather had been—baby crocodiles.Some were wrapped in yellowed linen while others were a blackish green.Then he realized the larger bodies, also wrapped in linen but much darker in appearance, were human.“Mummies,” he murmured.
He gave a start when he realized his cousin, Tom, was at his elbow.On the other side of him, her arm on Tom’s, stood Helen, her attention on the mummies.
“Don’t look,” he said, his comment directed to Helen.
But it was too late, for the young lady inhaled sharply.Instinctively, Tom wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her so she was facing him.“Don’t faint, don’t faint, don’t faint,” he whispered frantically.
Helen raised her face to stare at him.“I won’t faint,” she assured him.“I was just...unprepared, is all.”She attempted to turn her head to look behind her, but he lifted a gloved hand to her cheek to prevent her from doing so.
For a moment, their gazes locked, and it was as if they were back in the Morganfield’s garden, her in his arms and their lips mere inches from one another.They might have reenacted the kiss they shared, but the moment was broken when Diana appeared next to them.
Her worried gaze first on Helen and then on the display of mummies, Diana asked, “Are you unwell?”
Her attention still on Tom’s eyes, Helen shook her head.“I am quite well,” she replied in a quiet voice.
“All right,” Diana said, although she didn’t sound convinced.By the time she took a good look at the vendor’s display of mummies, Randy was by her side.
“He’s selling these?”he asked in surprise.He made an odd sound in his throat.“Is...is that a cat?”he asked, pointing to a flat mummy wrapped in yellowed linen.The shape was that of a cat’s profile, so it appeared to have only two legs.
“Cat, yes,” the old man replied, grinning enthusiastically.“You buy?”
Randy shook his head, his eyes rounding when he realized what the other mummies were.
The sound of Mahmood’s shout had them turning to see him, the earls, and the countesses quickly approaching.
“Don’t let Mother see,” David said, turning so his back was to the display.Still holding onto Helen, Tom turned around, as did Randy and Diana, as they attempted to form a human shield.
Will was tall enough to see over them, his look of curiosity soon changing to disgust.Harry glanced over David’s shoulder before he dropped the arm Stella was holding and said, “I have to look, my love.”
Stella stayed where she was, her gaze on her daughter and Tom.“Did you suffer a shock, my dear?”she asked.
Helen’s eyes widened when she realized she was still in Tom’s hold.She quickly stepped away from him.“I did, Mother, but I’m much better now,” she said.
