Michael Cochrane

The South Essex is to be disbanded due to dwindling personnel. This doesn't make sense as the entire 2nd Battalion is in England and taking new recruits. Sharpe and Harper head to England to work out what is going on and save the regiment.

Sharpe is asked by the governor to perform one last task while in India. He is to escort a Frenchwoman to her fiancée at an outpost. Sharpe agrees, little knowing he is walking into a rebellion with the instigators quite close to home.

Our story begins at the end of Sharpe's Challenge. Sharpe and Harper are en route to Madras when they encounter a baggage train from the East India Company traveling through hostile ...