The Lady Abbess supervises the women who are stitching the BT at the Abbey in Canterbury. She is a mostly benevolent mistress, with the exception of enabling and turning a blind eye to Odo’s predation upon Aelfgyva at the Abbey. During the course of Piercing Time, she admits her own fear of Odo, and pledges to help Cynewyn in defying him. She finds courage and overcomes her fear, along with Aelfgyva and Cynewyn.