I like living in London. Lots of people say they can't stand the city, but I was born in London, and I've always lived there apart from three years at University in Manchester and of course my years at a boarding school in Surrey.
One of the great things about London is the cultural stuff. The national museums and art galleries. Now I'm kind of old-fashioned about art. If I look at a picture, I like to be able to see what it's meant to be. I hate those swirls of paint that look like something I did at primary school that get sold for millions. I mean, why? I could do a whole lot better!
Scruff's a bit of a computer geek. And a comic book reader (hey, she's sixteen), so she's really into low culture. I'm trying to teach her about the finer things in life. Ms. Madison tried, but gave up. Still, she's not family. She has some excuse for giving up.
So I'd decided to combine Scruff's visit to a comic shop with a visit to the British Museum. People gave us some funny looks, me in my neat clothes and my extremely untidy sister make an interesting pair.
It was a quiet day in the museum. Which means it was still pretty busy. Of course I remember when I was a little girl, and the reading room was still part of the British Library. The Great Court still rather impresses me.
Scruff clutched her bag (which is as scruffy as she is) and looked around in amazement.
"Hey, Sis, I like it."
"So do I. Now, where do we start? The place is huge..."
"Mummies?" Scruff asked.
Mummies it is, then. Glad you came?"
"Of course! Sis! You've got a date tonight, haven't you?"
"Green Man, a nice cosy place I know in Southwark. I just wish he'd hurry up and propose to me. A girl can't wait for ever, you know. Yes, I know about Sparrowhawk, but that was ages ago, and I want to get married in the spring."
Yes, I sounded desperate. The Green Man has that effect on me.
"Sis, you sound desperate!"
"Well maybe I am desperate. Did you think about that, Scruff?"
"Yeah. It's funny."
Little sisters. Why bother trying to get sympathy out of them?
We climbed the stairs to the Egyptian galleries, and I tried not to think about the Green Man. That's just impossible with me. I'm in love, and I don't mean maybe.
"Hey! Mummies!" Scruff exclaimed as we entered the gallery. "Kind of dead, but rather..." she screamed.
Scruff's not the screaming type, but when a mummy comes to life in front of her, even she can get scared. I was rather spooked too - and I've seen it before!
