Daniel turned and saw a tall, well-dressed – and, he had to admit – attractive woman in her mid-thirties stood glaring at him.
‘I beg your pardon, madam?’ he said. ‘But, for the moment, the Egyptian collection is closed to visitors.’
‘I am not a visitor. I am making an inventory of the collection for the museum,’ she said curtly.
‘That may be,’ he began, ‘but a body was found here and I have been asked to look into it. My name is Daniel Wilson—’
‘I know who you are,’ snapped the woman. ‘You were formerly Inspector Wilson of the Metropolitan police, Chief Inspector Abberline’s assistant on the notorious Jack the Ripper case, now operating as a private detective. Sir William advised me yesterday that he would be telegraphing you.’
‘Private enquiry agent,’ Daniel corrected her politely. ‘In that case, you have the advantage of me, madam.’
‘I am Abigail Fenton, archaeologist, with an honours degree from Girton College in the Classics. I am not just some nosy local busybody. As I informed you, I have been asked by the Fitzwilliam to make an inventory of the Egyptian collection, and it was I who found the body.’
‘I see,’ said Daniel. ‘In that case I would be most interested to hear what you have to say, Mrs Fenton …’
‘Miss,’ Abigail stressed firmly.
‘Miss Fenton,’ Daniel corrected himself. He gestured at the sarcophagus. ‘Would you show me how you discovered the body, and what position it was in?’
Abigail joined him.
‘It was yesterday morning, Wednesday, at about ten o’clock. I had been examining the object the day before, both externally and internally.’
‘Did you have assistance in removing the lid?’ asked Daniel. ‘It’s very heavy.’
She shook her head.
‘The lid had been slid partly to one side, enough to enable me to see inside. On Tuesday the sarcophagus was empty. I know that because I was particularly keen to see if there were any decorations on the interior; the ancient Egyptians were very keen on colour and adornment.’
‘Yes, so I see.’ Daniel nodded, indicating the other objects in the large room, many of them colourfully painted.
‘In fact, as you will have observed, the interior of this particular sarcophagus ha