Chapter 7
Hilda AD 647In the autumn the house of Anna had a visit from Hilda, a princess of the royal Deiran house, a kinswoman of King Oswin. She was on her way to France, to the monastery of Chelles near Paris, to lead the holy life like her sister Hereswith, widow of Anna’s brother Egric. King Anna, sensing the restlessness in Etheldreda and fearing it, asked Hilda to winter with them.
She was a handsome woman of thirty-two who had had many suitors but found none to her taste, and had succeeded in keeping a fierce, proud independence, while running a well appointed household in Deira, the focus of travellers and scholars, priests and princes.
‘What makes you head for France?’ King Anna asked his guest after an evening of lively talk around the fire. ‘Deira will be the poorer without
