A Book Meme

My friend Kara at Eskimo Kisses & Air Hugs has tagged for this book meme. The rules are:

Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages). Open the book to page 123. Find the fifth sentence. Post the next three sentences. Tag five people.

The book by my computer is London by Edward Rutherford. I have owned it for about 8 years, and am currently re-reading (again). It is a fantastic account of the history and development of an amazing city. For an Anglo-phile and ancient history obsesser like myself, it is heaven in 1200 pages!!

Here is the excerpt from page 123. This chapter is called "The Rood" and is about the coming of the Catholic Church to pagan Britain - set in the year AD 604. The character, Elfgiva, is a loyal wife who is struggling with her husband's demand that she convert to the new religion.

"Whatever destiny might finally decide, there was little doubt that Elfgiva's fate that morning lay in the firm hand of the powerful figure who, unknown to her, was at that moment riding exactly parallel to her course only twenty miles to the south.

All those who knew her husband would have agreed, "She may be brave, but no one gets the better of Cerdic." Two events - one that had taken place the day before, the other which Cerdic planned for the following morning - would have convinced them: "She doesn't stand a chance."

I am going to tag Emma at Heart at Home, Barbara at Warm Woollen Mittens, GHD at So, what do you do all day? and Lani at The Wooden Porch.