Chapter One London 1928 FLASH The camera bulbs popped and fizzled leaving a stench of soot in the air Reporters from every major newspaper in the country gathered around the grand entrance to the British Museum all shouting at once to be heard 1
Over here Lady Viola Just one question In front of the crowd of journalists stood a tall woman in her early thirties with short black bobbed hair She wore a khaki shirt and shorts the kind that would not be out of place on an explorer in a dark jungle It certainly looked exotic in central London Peeking out from the front doors behind her Lottie Lipton stared at the woman fascinated by her every move Uncle Bert called Lottie It’s so exciting Imagine Lady Viola Kirton in our museum Honestly Lottie dear I don’t see what all 2
the fuss is about Who exactly is this woman Uncle Bert harrumphed He tore open a package that had just arrived for him and found some ancient Roman belt buckles Oh goody They’ve finally come Uncle Bert who was the Curator of Egyptology at the British Museum had been looking after the Ancient Roman department ever since Cedric the usual Curator of Roman 3
