“Apologies, my lady,” Tom said to Stella.“I didn’t think she should see the mummified cats.”
Stella angled her head to one side, her gaze sweeping the line of bodies behind Tom.“And the humans?”she asked, the edges of her lips turned up as if she was teasing him.
“Humans, my lady?”he repeated, his brows rising nearly to his hairline.He turned around and gulped.“I...I hadn’t noticed them, my lady,” he said, his face displaying a grimace when he turned to face her.
“Are those mummies?”Barbara asked in awe.She had moved to the end of their line and simply walked around Randy to stand at the end of the display, her hands going to her hips.
“Aunt Barbara,” he gently scolded.
“It’s not my first time seeing a mummy,” she said, not taking her eyes from the morbid display.
“It’s not?”
“Of course not.There was an entire line of them on the dock at Cairo.I think they were loading them into some crates to ship them somewhere.”
“Ew,” David replied.
“I rather imagine they were intended for museums,” Diana murmured.“But they should have been left where they were found.”
Randy regarded her with worry.“Why did you say it like that?”
She arched a blonde brow.“Desecrating the dead like this?”she countered.“Never a good idea.”
“I didn’t think you were superstitious,” he chided.
“I am not.But others are, and that’s all it takes for someone to think they’ve been cursed.”
“Ah, you have heard of mummy curses?”Mahmood asked.
She lifted a shoulder.“I have read a number of books,” she replied.
“I have spoken with Ahmet,” he said, waving to the vendor.“If you wish to purchase one of his mummies, I can interpret for you.”From his manner, it was apparent he hoped they wouldn’t partake.He lowered his voice.“However, I can tell you they cost much less in Cairo.”
Chuckling but not in a humorous way, Randy made a sound of disgust.
“How are these crocodiles mummified?”Harry asked from where he was crouching next to the line of baby crocodiles, his manner entirely serious.
Mahmood sighed.“They are buried in the sand and left to...”He seemed to struggle for the right word.
“Desiccate?”Harry offered.
“Yes.Very different from how the pharaohs were mummified.”
“How were they mummified?”Helen asked.
“Mr.Salman explained it to us when were were at the pyramids at Giza,” Tom whispered.
“Another dragoman gave us an explanation, but it was entirely too brief,” Helen added, as if she hadn’t heard Tom’s comment.“He provided no detail at all.”
Everyone turned to look at her with surprise.“Ew,” David said again.
Mahmood cleared his throat, directing his attention to Will.“Should I tell them?”
Will lifted a shoulder.“They already know the worst.”
Dipping his head, their guide held out one hand, his fingers extended.He used his other hand to count off each step.“First, the body is washed in water from the Nile.Next, the brain is removed followed by the other internal organs and placed into canopic jars for preservation.”
“Ew.”
