Hilda Recites Poetry

In the novel Courting Trouble Hilda is one of the heroine Cynethrith's stepsisters. In this scene Cynethrith has come across Hilda in their shared bedroom reciting a poem.

   “Listen,” she said, practically gasping for air. “Listen to this.”
     She began to recite an overwrought poem about a woman who had allowed herself to be seduced by a warrior who, after impregnating her, was nowhere to be found. Hilda had the most extraordinary memory. In fact, she was very smart, just not about anything useful. She paused at the end.
     “Wasn’t it beautiful?” she said in a whisper. Her blue eyes misted over.
     “It was remarkable,” I said. The poem had left me befuddled. The woman was deserted, no doubt about that, but otherwise I was lost. “Tell me something,” I asked. “Are Eric and Edward the same person or two different people?”
     “You didn’t understand it at all, did you?” she said. “You have all the higher qualities of a pygmy shrew.”

On a different topic, the March 2019 Itchen Valley News has an article about the influence my friends and neighbors in the Hampshire town of Easton had on the genesis of Courting Trouble.  

The Other Stepsister, Hilda

In the novel Courting Trouble, the villagers are planning to trick the King by pretending they are poor. They are hoping he won't demand too much from them. Cynethrith has been asked by the villagers to try to get her stepmother go along with the ruse.

“Right.[says her stepmother] That Osbert is getting too big for his britches. I don’t know why he wants us to look like a bunch of paupers. That won’t do much for our social standing, now will it?”
“Well, no, Mother,” I agreed, “but you might be a little richer at the end of the day.”
“And if no one knows I’m rich how will it help me get husbands for my daughters?” I looked at Wulfwaru and Hilda. “I understand your concern, Mother,” I said.
“Thank you very much,” said Hilda, whose eyeballs and front teeth competed to see which could protrude more. Her chin had conceded defeat and was trying to leave the field.