Claudia (Bible Women Book 4) Read online

He sighed. “Your prophet is dead.”

  She gasped and sat down hurriedly. “How?”

  “He was crucified.”

  “Oh, husband, not on your orders?”

  “No, by his own people.”

  “Nevertheless, they would not crucify him without your permission. You promised me you would listen to him.”

  “I did listen to him and I found him innocent.”

  “Then why didn’t you release him?”

  “The rabble was screaming for his death. If I had tried, there would have been a riot and I did not have enough troops to quell it. I cannot lose the province, for the sake of one man. I washed my hands in front of them all and told them that his blood would be on their heads, not mine. I did try, believe me.”

  “I am sure you did,” Claudia said dully, “but it does not matter now. Let us pray to all the gods that I was mistaken and the second part of my dream will not come true.”

  As she said the words, she saw again the face of the widow beneath the olive trees. Miryam understood now what it was like to lose a child.

  “Poor woman,” she murmured.

  “Who?”

  “The Prophet’s mother. She has lost her only son. I tried to save him and so did you but, gods forgive us, it wasn’t enough.”

  In that instant, Claudia knew that neither she nor her husband would escape the cruel fate she had seen so clearly.

  This story also appears in the anthology, Bible Women

  Photo Credit:

  www.flickr.com/photos/26234364@N08/8647303699/

  Luigi Mancini

  This image has been modified

  Copyright © 2014 by Michèle McGrath

  All rights reserved

  No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the author.

  My books are fiction set in history.

  Front cover artwork:

  Written in English (UK)

  Published by Riverscourt Publishing

  Thank you for reading my book. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please consider leaving a review on Amazon or the site where you bought it from.

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  About Michèle McGrath

  Award winning author, Michele McGrath, was born on the beautiful Isle of Man in the middle of the Irish Sea. She has lived in California, Liverpool, France and Lancashire before returning home. Living in Paris and Grenoble taught her to make a mean ratatouille and she learned the hula in Hawaii.

  Michele is a qualified swimming teacher and manager, writing self help books on these subjects. Although she writes in many genres, her real loves are historical romance and fantasy. She has won numerous writing competitions, had second places and been short-listed many times. She has had tens of thousands of sales and downloads.

  **Visit her blog at http://www.michelemcgrath.co.uk/blog

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  What others are saying about Michele's books:

  "From the very first and magical sentence, I was hooked on this novel."

  Eddie on Kindle, reviewing Manannan's Magic.

  “Set in post-revolutionary France, Duval and the Infernal Machine captures the atmosphere of suspicion and intrigue that reigned in Paris at the time. The author does a splendid job of immersing the reader into the darker corners of the city." Simon on Kindle reviewing Duval and the Infernal Machine.

  “I have been terrified of the water ever since nearly drowning in Lake Michigan. My wife has tried to teach me to float - with no success - for 40 years. The techniques outlined in this book are easy to follow. Maybe finally, after all these years, I'll be able to swim and NOT be afraid of the water. Thanks Michele, wish you lived in the States so I could get private lessons." Steven on Kindle reviewing Learn to Swim, even if you are terrified."

  “An intriguing and haunting short story, which the author says is based upon a real wartime experience. The fitting and satisfying ending will stay with me for a long time. An excellent story."

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  “Beautiful! Just 12 short pages, but it left me in tears. The author has such a delicate, lovely way with words that the sentences and sentiments were whispered over the pages. I will save this on my kindle to read again."

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  Books by Michèle McGrath

  Easy Business Skills:

  Easy Business Skills Box set

  Easy Self Confidence

  Easy Time Management

  Easy Assertiveness

  Easy Communication Skills

  Easy Presentation Skills

  Swimming:

  Learn to Swim even if you are Terrified

  Teach your Child to Swim: The Easy Way.

  Novels:

  The Manannan Series (Historical Fantasy)

  Manannan’s Magic: Manannan McLir flees from a blood feud in Ireland and finds a tragic love with a young Celtic girl, Renny. Betrayal, a Viking invasion and a narrow escape all feature in this novel.

  Niamh of the Golden Hair: Niamh is captured by Viking raiders and unexpectedly falls in love with her captor. When he is badly injured, she must find her father, Manannan, who may be able to cure his wound.

  Emer’s Quest: Emer, Manannan’s granddaughter, dreams that her father will be shipwrecked. She rides after him to prevent him leaving but she is too late. She persuades friends to follow him. On her journey she meets Atli, a trader who offers to rescue her father if she will marry one of his sons. Unfortunately his son Hari does not want her.

  Manannan Trilogy:Box Set

  Ghost Diaries Series (Paranormal Romance)

  Gigi’s Guardian: A romp through an unusual sort of Heaven and Swinging Sixties London. Ariane helps Gigi choose the right man to marry, after many trials and tribulations. A comedy romance with serious overtones.

  Duval Series (Napoleon’s Police)

  Duval and the Infernal Machine 1800: Rookie police agent, Alain Duval investigates the attempted assassination on Napoleon Bonaparte. The book features romance, terror and an unexpected ending.

  Duval and the Empress’s Crown 1804: Police Agent Alain Duval is tasked with finding the crown but time is very short and his suspects many. Present when the crown disappeared are Napoleon's sisters, Princess Elisa, Princess Pauline and Princess Caroline. Are they involved or merely witnesses? Aided by his wife Eugenie and his friends Lefebvre and Fournier, Duval sets out to unravel the mystery.

  Duval and the Italian Opera Singer 1805: Carla Cortini arrives in Paris claiming that her son is Napoleon’s child. She relates the story to Duval and enquiries seem to confirm that it is true. When Duval goes to tell her and take her to the Emperor, he discovers that the mother and son have been kidnapped.

  Duval at Waterloo 1815: The last Duval book. Duval travels to Paris and gets caught up in the preparations for Napoleon’s last battle.

  Napoleon’s Police: Box set of the first three Duval books published.

  Regency Belles & Beaux

  Lady Alice’s Dilemma: Lady Alice is enjoying her first London Season until her disgraced brother appears in disguise.

  Miss Richmond’s Privateer (Coming shortly)

  Books for Children:

  A Night at the Manx Museum: Meet Manannan, a Manx cat, the great deer and many more characters.

  Stories for Seven Year Olds: Three stories in one. A magical harp takes Shannon far away to a land of magic carpets and evil viziers. Rory is scared of heights, which is a problem because he is a robin who needs to learn to fly. Sun Sun Lau is a Chinese dragon who wakes up to find himself in the British Museum and has to escape from those who want to put him in a zoo.

  Short Story Coll
ections

  Baker’s Dozen: Thirteen short stories in a range of genres including romance, fantasy, crime and history.

  Bible Women: Five short stories of women in the New Testament, starting from the birth of Christ until his death.

  Look out for free days and promotional offers on my website.

  Gigi’s Guardian, A Night in the Manx Museum and Manannan’s Magic are available in paperback through Amazon and booksellers on the Isle of Man.

  Find out more on:

  http://www.michelemcgrath.co.uk

  I would love to hear from you:

  email: [email protected]