"But his father's a friend of mine, Sharpe. He farms a few acres near Benfleet and he wanted me to look after his son."

"I'll look after him," Sharpe said.

"I'm sure you will," Lawford said, "and what about Cornelius?"

"Cornelius?" Sharpe asked, wanting time to think. He swilled his bloody mouth out with brandy, spat it onto the ground, then drank some and fancied it took away some of the hurt.

"How's Cornelius doing?" Lawford asked pleasantly. "Being useful, is he?"

"He has to learn our ways," Sharpe said warily.

"Of course he must, of course. But I particularly wanted him to be with you."

"Why, sir?"

"Why?" The Colonel seemed taken aback by the direct question, but then waved the cigar as if to say the answer was obvious. "I think he's a capital fellow, and I'll be honest with you, Sharpe, I'm not sure young Knowles possesses the right verve for skirmishing."

"He's a good officer," Sharpe said indignantly, and then wished he had not spoken so forcibly for the pain in his ribs seemed to stab right to his heart.

"Oh, none finer!" Lawford agreed hastily. "And an admirable character, but you skirmishers aren't dull fellows, are you? You're the whippers-in! I need my light company to be audacious! Aggressive! Astute!" Each quality was accompanied by a thump that rattled the glass and silverware on the table, but the Colonel paused after the third, evidently realizing that astuteness lacked the force of audacity and aggression. He thought for a few seconds, trying to find a more impressive word, then carried on without thinking of it. "I believe Cornelius has those qualities and I look to you, Sharpe, to bring him on." Lawford paused again, as if expecting Sharpe to respond, but when the rifleman said nothing the Colonel looked acutely embarrassed. "The nub of the matter is, Sharpe, that Cornelius seems to think you don't like him."

"Most people think that, sir," Sharpe said woodenly.

"Do they?" Lawford looked surprised. "I suppose they might. Not everyone knows you as well as I do." He paused to draw on his cigar. "Do you ever miss India, Sharpe?"

"India," Sharpe responded cautiously. He and Lawford had served there together when Lawford had been a lieutenant and Sharpe a private. "I liked it well enough."

"There are regiments in India that could use an experienced officer," Lawford said casually and Sharpe felt a stab of betrayal because the words suggested the Colonel did want to be rid of him. He said nothing, and Lawford seemed unaware of having given any offence. "So I can reassure Cornelius that all is well?"

"Yes, sir," Sharpe said, then stood. "I must go and inspect the picquets, sir."

"Of course you must," Lawford said, not hiding his frustration with the conversation. "We should talk more often, Sharpe."

Sharpe took his battered shako and walked out into the fog-shrouded night. He picked his way through the thick darkness, going across the ridge's wide crest and then some short way down the eastern slope until he could just see the mist-blurred string of enemy fires in the valley's deep darkness. Let them come, he thought, let them come. If he could not murder Ferragus then he would take out his anger on the French. He heard footsteps behind him, but did not turn round. "Evening, Pat," he said.

"What happened to you?" Harper must have seen Sharpe inside the Colonel's tent and had followed him down the slope.

"That bloody Ferragus and two of his coves."

"Tried to kill you?"

Sharpe shook his head. "Bloody nearly succeeded. Would have done, except three provosts came along."

"Provosts! Never thought they'd be useful. And how is Mister Ferragus?"

"I hurt him, but not enough. He beat me, Pat. Beat me bloody."

Harper thought about that. "And what did you tell the Colonel?"

"That I had a tumble."

"So that's what I'll tell the lads when they notice you're better-looking than usual. And tomorrow I'll keep an eye open for Mister Ferragus. You think he'll be back for more?"

"No, he's buggered off."

"We'll find him, sir, we'll find him."

"But not tomorrow, Pat. We're going to be busy tomorrow. Major Hogan reckons the Frogs are coming up this hill."

Which was a comforting thought to end the day, and the two sat, listening to the singing from the dark encampments behind. A dog began barking somewhere in the British lines and immediately dozens of others echoed the sound, prompting angry shouts as the beasts were told to be quiet, and slowly peace descended again, all but for one dog that would not stop. On and on it went, barking frantically, until there was the sudden harsh crack of a musket or pistol.

"That's the way to do it," Harper said.

Sharpe said nothing. He just gazed down the hill to where the French fires were a dull, hazed glow in the mist. "But what will we do about Mister Ferragus?" Harper asked. "He can't be allowed to get away with assaulting a rifleman."

"If we lose tomorrow," Sharpe said, "we'll have to retreat through Coimbra. That's where he lives."

"So we'll find him there," Harper said grimly, "and give him what he deserves. But what if we win tomorrow?"

"God only knows," Sharpe said, and nodded down the hill to the misted firelight. There were thousands of fires. "Follow those bastards back to Spain, I suppose," he went on, "and fight them there." And go on fighting them, he thought, month after month, year after year, until the very crack of doom. But it would begin tomorrow, with sixty thousand Frenchmen who wanted to take a hill. Tomorrow.

Marshal Ney, second in command of l'Armee de Portugal, reckoned the whole of the enemy army was on the ridge. There were no fires in the high darkness to betray their presence, but Ney could smell them. A soldier's instinct. The bastards were laying a trap, hoping the French would stroll up the hill to be slaughtered, and Ney reckoned they should be obliged. Send the Eagles up the hill and beat the bastards into mincemeat, but Ney was not the man to make that decision and so he summoned an aide, Captain D'Esmenard, and told him to find Marshal Massena. "Tell his highness," Ney said, "that the enemy's waiting to be killed. Tell him to get back here fast. Tell him there's a battle to be fought."

Captain D'Esmenard had a journey of more than twenty miles and he had to be escorted by two hundred dragoons who clattered into the small town of Tondella long after nightfall. A tricolor flew above the porch of the house where Massena lodged. Six sentries stood outside, their muskets tipped by bayonets that reflected the firelight of the brazier that offered a small warmth in the sudden cold.

D'Esmenard climbed the stairs and hammered on the Marshal's door. There was silence.

D'Esmenard knocked again. This time there was a woman's giggle followed by the distinct sound of a hand slapping flesh, then the woman laughed. "Who is it?" the Marshal called.

"A message from Marshal Ney, your highness." Marshal Andre Massena was Duke of Rivoli and Prince of Essling.

"From Ney?"

"The enemy has definitely stopped, sir. They're on the ridge."

The girl squealed.

"The enemy has what?"

"Stopped, sir," D'Esmenard shouted through the door. "The Marshal believes you should come back." Massena had been in the valley beneath the ridge for a few moments in the afternoon, given his opinion that the enemy would not stand and fight, and ridden back to Tondela. The girl said something and there was the sound of another slap followed by more giggling.

"Marshal Ney believes they are offering battle, sir," D'Esmenard said.

"Who are you?" the Marshal asked.

"Captain D'Esmenard, sir."

"One of Ney's boys, eh?"

"Yes, sir."

"Have you eaten, D'Esmenard?"

"No, sir."

"Go downstairs, Captain, tell my cook to give you supper. I shall join you."