Meet Ediva Dunmow

Howdy, Barbara Phinney.  I  hear you've written a heroine who's had quite the adventure.  We're all looking forward to meeting her.   What's her name?

My name is Ediva Dunmow and I would not call my life and adventure. I was a widow, because the battle at Hastings and good riddance to my husband, who was killed there! I apologize if that sounds harsh, but he was a brutal man. And I won't miss him one bit! But suddenly, one day, some of King William's men dragged me off to London and forced me to marry yet another knight, or forfeit my lands. If you want to call that adventure, go ahead, but I call that fear. Terrible fear.

During the book you met Adrien de Ries. Tell us a bit about him. What was your first impression? When did you know it was love?

The first time I looked upon Adrien was in front of King William. He was as shocked as I was that we were to be married immediately. Oddly, at the ceremony, I felt a certain gentleness about him. Oh no, I wasn't going to trust him one bit. But I knew strangely that my life would never be the same. And love? Oh, it's an elusive thing. It sneaks up on you until it's right there at the worst possible moment. Oh, why couldn't Adrien have been as cruel as my first husband? T'would have been so easy to hate him. But he looked at me with respect and gentleness and told me how much God loved me. Began to know that I was falling for my husband.

What strengths/skills do you have? What is your greatest weakness?

I have trained all my life to be the mistress of the keep. 'Twas what I was meant to be. I am skilled at languages and my numbers. I can organize men and help with births. I am a champion of the women in my village. But alas, Adrien has shown me my greatest weakness. I cannot take care of myself properly. And I cannot tuck my heart away where it won't be hurt. And, I hate to say, my greatest weakness is not forgiving my Lord for what He put me through.

What scares you?

'Tis easy to tell you that. Falling in love with my husband is my greatest fear. He is determined to be a soldier in King William's army. Will I lose yet another husband?

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I think I would want to let go of my mistrust in my God. I do not know what he has in store for me. And so far it has been so horrible. If I could trust as a babe trusts!

Where are you in your faith at the start of your story?

At the start of this adventure as you so aptly put it, where was my faith? Shattered and destroyed and trampled on, that's where it was. I would rarely go to Chapel, and when I did it was by obligation. My keep's chaplain, did nothing to help me. I could only rely on myself. That was where my faith was.

Where are you in your faith at the end of the story?

Adrien has shown me so much about God's love. And it snuck up on me like my love for Adrien snuck up on me and slipped itself into my heart. 'Twas not a great deliverance from heaven, my newfound faith in God, as Paul experienced. Nay, 'twas a quiet little thing that wormed its way into my heart.

You’ve got a scripture at the beginning of the story. Tell us why this scripture is significant.

1 John 4:8 states, whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. That is so significant for me! For I could not love until I learned to love God. I learned that God loved me. It was such a comfort to know that, yes. God did love me!

If you could be a dessert what would you be and why?

Dessert? We're a poor keep, and don't waste our resources on frivolous food, but I must say my cook can make pastries, glistening with honey and filled with nuts and fruit and sweet cheese. My mouth waters. With such a delight!