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Author Insight
Hildeburg Faces a Decision
Princess Hildeburg visits Abbess Ethelberga at her abbey at Lyminge. She's come to say farewell. Hildeburg's husband died, and she's on her way to Anglia to join her sister. Hildeburg plans to go with her sister to the convent at Chelles in France. Ethelberga opens another pathway. The abbess expects to die soon, and wants Hildeburg to become the next abbess. But, for once, Hildeburg can chart her own path. She can go to Chelles and live out her days with her sister. After all this time, Hildeburg wants to be with her birth family. But, Ethelberga reminds her, Hildeburg is still a princess and a princess should be an abbess.
Book Excerpt
Saxon Heroines
“Sit by me,” she says. “I think this is my last summer, before God calls me to heaven. I mention it because if you join my monastery, you will naturally become the next abbess.”
My heart jolts with a premonition of loss. “Why do you say that?”
“That it’s my last summer, or that you could be abbess?”
“The abbey isn’t complete yet. You must oversee the work.”
“The abbey isn’t complete, but my tomb is.”
“What do you mean?”
“My chapel is on the north side of the church. All that’s left is to put me in it.” Ethelberga chuckles. “So, will you take vows? Your husband’s been dead a year. Surely you’ve thought about it.”
“I have a sister. Do you remember?”
Ethelberga looks past me to the horizon. “No. Remind me.”
“Hereswid. She married Aethelric of East Anglia. She sent me a letter. She’s made arrangements to go to the convent at Chelles and invites me to go with her.”
“A princess should be an abbess. You won’t be an abbess in Chelles.”
“No, but I’ll be with Hereswid.”
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