Pilate's Wife: A Novel of the Roman Empire Read Online Free
Author: Antoinette May
nervous."
" I am rarely nervous," Agrippina's imperious tone was back. "I think it best we return to the hospital. They need us there."
I sighed, thinking of all those sweet young men, their frightened souls preparing for flight. "There are so many coming now. I'm afraid for the rest, for my father and--Germanicus."
"Your sight tells you nothing?"
I shook my head. "It never does when I ask."
"Then I will." She smiled confidently. "A courier arrived only a short while ago. I was about to post the news when I saw you steal away. The tide of battle has turned. Germanicus lured the Germans from the swamp. He will soon return with his army, victorious. I will welcome them at the bridge."
"My father--my father is safe?"
She smiled broadly, assuring me.
A frisson ran through my body as she spoke of victory, but there was something more..."You're certain Uncle Germanicus is safe?"
"Quite certain," she replied, rising to her feet. "You will see him soon."
Agrippina was right. Tata returned and Germanicus was hailed a conquering hero, yet the memory of the young wolf remained, his face frozen in surprise and anguish.
CHAPTER 2
A Triumph
O ne day Marcella was playing with dolls. The next day it was men. Our old slave, Priscilla, laughed about it--when Mother wasn't there to hear her. Priscilla was wrong. Marcella hadn't changed--neither had the men. As long as I could remember, battle-scarred veterans had stared at Marcella, while small boys turned cartwheels in her path.
With time, I could identify the hint of pleasurable fulfillment that clung to her like perfume. At twelve, I knew only that Marcella was special. Mother knew it too. Though warm and loving to us both, Mother's large brown eyes lingered often on my sister. Grateful for the extra freedom granted me by default, I wondered idly what my mother planned.
One spring afternoon Agrippina gave Marcella her first grown-up gown--a scarlet tunica of the softest Egyptian linen, clasped at the shoulders, and a filmy violet stola . "Few can wear such colors together," Agrippina said. Clearly they hadn't worked for her own daughters, Druscilla or Julia, or my sister wouldn't have been the lucky recipient.
Delighted by her good fortune, Marcella hurried outside. From the balcony off Mother's room I watched her dance along the orderly rows of barracks. Out of every building she passed came at least one young officer, smiling, waving, hurrying to her side.
"Marcella has so many friends," I commented to Mother.
Mother's eyes strayed absently from the loom before her. As her gaze followed mine, her glossy brows came together. "Friends! Find Priscilla. Order her to bring Marcella in this minute !"
T HAT EVENING, PLAYING UNNOTICED BEHIND A COUCH, I WATCHED Mother pour Tata 's wine. He scattered a few drops on the hearth for the gods, then lifted the glass to his lips. "My favorite," he smiled, "and you didn't cut it with water."
Mother smiled back at him. "Marcella grows more lovely every day, don't you think?" she asked, her voice light and casual.
"Half the camp's besotted with her."
Mother's smile faded. "Such attention goes to a girl's head. In a rude garrison like this, anything can happen."
Father's cup thumped the table, splashing wine on the carefully mended cloth. "No soldier with a brain in his head would risk--"
"Come now, darling. What moved you at that age--surely not your brain."
"Selene! This is not a barracks."
"No, it is not, or I might use any number of words with which you are more familiar."
"Not from my wife...not in a while. Do you remember that furlough--"
"In Capri?" Mother's voice softened. "Of course. We conceived Claudia there."
Holding my breath, I moved closer.
"You were lovely. You are still lovely--when you don't frown."
"Who would not frown? Gaul's better than those wretched German forests, but still provincial, so far from Rome. I never thought we would be here this long. And then there's Agrippina. You have no
" I am rarely nervous," Agrippina's imperious tone was back. "I think it best we return to the hospital. They need us there."
I sighed, thinking of all those sweet young men, their frightened souls preparing for flight. "There are so many coming now. I'm afraid for the rest, for my father and--Germanicus."
"Your sight tells you nothing?"
I shook my head. "It never does when I ask."
"Then I will." She smiled confidently. "A courier arrived only a short while ago. I was about to post the news when I saw you steal away. The tide of battle has turned. Germanicus lured the Germans from the swamp. He will soon return with his army, victorious. I will welcome them at the bridge."
"My father--my father is safe?"
She smiled broadly, assuring me.
A frisson ran through my body as she spoke of victory, but there was something more..."You're certain Uncle Germanicus is safe?"
"Quite certain," she replied, rising to her feet. "You will see him soon."
Agrippina was right. Tata returned and Germanicus was hailed a conquering hero, yet the memory of the young wolf remained, his face frozen in surprise and anguish.
CHAPTER 2
A Triumph
O ne day Marcella was playing with dolls. The next day it was men. Our old slave, Priscilla, laughed about it--when Mother wasn't there to hear her. Priscilla was wrong. Marcella hadn't changed--neither had the men. As long as I could remember, battle-scarred veterans had stared at Marcella, while small boys turned cartwheels in her path.
With time, I could identify the hint of pleasurable fulfillment that clung to her like perfume. At twelve, I knew only that Marcella was special. Mother knew it too. Though warm and loving to us both, Mother's large brown eyes lingered often on my sister. Grateful for the extra freedom granted me by default, I wondered idly what my mother planned.
One spring afternoon Agrippina gave Marcella her first grown-up gown--a scarlet tunica of the softest Egyptian linen, clasped at the shoulders, and a filmy violet stola . "Few can wear such colors together," Agrippina said. Clearly they hadn't worked for her own daughters, Druscilla or Julia, or my sister wouldn't have been the lucky recipient.
Delighted by her good fortune, Marcella hurried outside. From the balcony off Mother's room I watched her dance along the orderly rows of barracks. Out of every building she passed came at least one young officer, smiling, waving, hurrying to her side.
"Marcella has so many friends," I commented to Mother.
Mother's eyes strayed absently from the loom before her. As her gaze followed mine, her glossy brows came together. "Friends! Find Priscilla. Order her to bring Marcella in this minute !"
T HAT EVENING, PLAYING UNNOTICED BEHIND A COUCH, I WATCHED Mother pour Tata 's wine. He scattered a few drops on the hearth for the gods, then lifted the glass to his lips. "My favorite," he smiled, "and you didn't cut it with water."
Mother smiled back at him. "Marcella grows more lovely every day, don't you think?" she asked, her voice light and casual.
"Half the camp's besotted with her."
Mother's smile faded. "Such attention goes to a girl's head. In a rude garrison like this, anything can happen."
Father's cup thumped the table, splashing wine on the carefully mended cloth. "No soldier with a brain in his head would risk--"
"Come now, darling. What moved you at that age--surely not your brain."
"Selene! This is not a barracks."
"No, it is not, or I might use any number of words with which you are more familiar."
"Not from my wife...not in a while. Do you remember that furlough--"
"In Capri?" Mother's voice softened. "Of course. We conceived Claudia there."
Holding my breath, I moved closer.
"You were lovely. You are still lovely--when you don't frown."
"Who would not frown? Gaul's better than those wretched German forests, but still provincial, so far from Rome. I never thought we would be here this long. And then there's Agrippina. You have no
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