'Of course, my Lady.

'Major Sharpe! It was General Sir Barstan Maxwell, making one last effort to serve his master with honesty. 'You were telling the truth?

Lady Camoynes held up a hand to stop Sharpe's reply. She smiled at the General. 'The truth, dear Sir Barstan, is whatever Lord Fenner and I decide it shall be. And it will prove, dear Simon, a most expensive commodity. Goodnight, gentlemen. Come, Major.

He took his weapons and telescope from the table, gave his rescuer his arm, and left in triumph.

Sharpe pulled open the door of Sir Henry's coach. 'Sir?

Girdwood, seeing Sharpe, gaped. He made a small noise of terror, a shrew-like noise. He saw the sword at Sharpe's side and the rifle on the tall man's shoulder, and his voice was tentative as though he saw a ghost of a man meant to be consigned to the Australian wilderness. 'You want me, Major Sharpe?

'In my own time, sir. Sharpe smiled. There were men whose flesh had long been flensed from their bones whose last sight on earth had been that smile. 'But for the moment I have come for Miss Gibbons. He held out his hand. 'Jane?

Girdwood lifted a weak hand as if to stop her, but there was a scrape, a flash of dusky light on long steel, and Sharpe's sword was gleaming in the courtyard. 'Sir?

Girdwood stayed very still. Sharpe sheathed the sword and handed the girl down to the cobbles. 'Jane. I have the honour to present the Dowager Countess Camoynes. He bowed to the Countess. 'Jane Gibbons, Ma'am. We are to be married.

The Countess looked the girl up and down with a critical eye. 'Have you agreed to marry him, Miss Gibbons?

'Yes, my Lady.

'He's more fortunate than he deserves. He's an alley-cat, aren't you, Major?

'If your Ladyship says so.

She looked at him with a humorous, challenging expression. 'She does. Where do you go to this night, alley-cat? I have a carriage and I'm feeling generous.

'Carlton House, Sharpe smiled. 'We are invited.

'Dressed like that? I suppose you can say it's a costume ball. Very well! We shall all go to Prinny's! Jane and I can turn up on the arm of a hero. Dear Miss Gibbons, and the Countess offered Jane her hand, 'do me the honour of waiting in my carriage.

When the Countess had Sharpe alone she stared up at him. 'You didn't tell me about her?

'There seemed no need.

She smiled. 'True. One hardly discusses one's intended while under Vauxhall's bushes. She laughed. 'You wouldn't do that, Major, would you? I would, but not you. You're too kind. Did anyone ever tell you that you were kind?

'No, Ma'am.

'Don't call me "Ma'am". You make me sound ancient. Her fingers were touching the silver whistle on his crossbelt, and her startling green eyes were filled with amusement. 'If you weren't such an alley-cat, I might have taken you for myself.

'I would have been most fortunate.

'Thank you. Are you in love?

Sharpe was embarrassed. 'Yes. Yes, I am.

'Whatever love is. It will probably end in disaster, of course.

Sharpe frowned. 'You think so?

She laughed. 'Not if you look after her, and I think you're quite good at that. She smiled. 'She's very pretty, if you like that innocent colouring. You have good taste in women, Major. I wanted to thank you.

'Thank me? Sharpe was feeling confused.

'You didn't get the proof for me, did you? But you were still on the battlefield, Major, and you were an ally of memorable strength. She turned towards her coach. 'Now come along. It's not done to keep a Prince waiting, not even that fat fool. She laughed, for she had won, and she would have her revenge, and because her son was safe.

Victory was suddenly very sweet. The Prince thought Sharpe's uniform "monstrous good". He was kindness itself to both of them.

'Who is she? Sir William Lawford watched Jane Gibbons, who had been drawn away by Lord John Rossendale.

'I'm marrying her. She's called Jane Gibbons.

'Gibbons? Gibbons? Lawford frowned. 'Never heard of them.

'Her father was a saddler.

'Ah! Lawford smiled. 'I wouldn't have heard of her then, would I? Still, she'll be a good match for you. Pretty, eh?

'I think so.

Lawford stared at Sharpe in silence for a few seconds. 'So you're feeling pleased with yourself, eh? You did it all on your own, didn't need my help?

'I hope you were not offended, sir.

'Offended! Lord, no. You were a fool, Richard. Do you know what a damn fool thing you did today? Do you know? You're lucky to have a head on your shoulders, let alone your damned Majority.

'I'm sure, sir.

Lawford, with his wonderful dexterity, struck a light with his tinder box and lit a cigar. 'Do you know what I had arranged for you, Richard?

'Arranged for me, sir?

'A Rifle Battalion of your own. Yours. Rifles. Lieutenant Colonel Sharpe. He smiled to show how foolish Sharpe had been in distrusting his help. 'Admittedly in the American War, but we can't have everything.

A Rifle Battalion of his own? Sharpe felt the dreadful lure of the bribe, the savage lust for such a wonderful instrument of war to be given to him, and then he remembered the disconsolate men on the wharves of Pasajes, the men in faded, patched red coats who trusted him to bring them back their pride from England. 'I couldn't have accepted, sir.

'Easy to say when you don't have the choice, Lawford laughed. 'So you thought you didn't need me, eh?

'But I do, sir. Sharpe wondered how Lawford could have so misjudged him. Did Sir William really believe that Sharpe would abandon men for a promotion? The thought hurt, but he would not show it. He smiled instead. 'I want a service from you, and perhaps I can offer you one in return.

Lawford, with a politician's distrust, frowned at the thought of a bargain not of his own invention. 'What can you offer me, Richard?

Sharpe was awkward for this was not his territory. 'It occurs to me, sir, if you'll forgive me, but if you talk with Lady Camoynes, you might find that she has sudden influence in the Horse Guards and War Office. I should do it swiftly, sir, say tonight? I suspect there will be promotions, sir, within the government. Lawford, who hardly expected to receive that kind of advice from a man who had once been his Sergeant, stared with some pique at Sharpe.

'You know the Lady Camoynes?

'Not well," Sharpe said hastily. 'She was kind enough to speak to me once or twice.

Lawford grunted. 'I hope you were polite, Richard.

'Indeed, sir, Sharpe smiled. 'I was very humble.

'Good. Lawford looked at the dreadful, battle-stained green jacket. 'Because you do sometimes seem to have difficulty in knowing your proper place.

'Yes, sir.

'And what favour can I do for you?

'I think, sir, that Lieutenant Colonel Girdwood will be trying to resign his commission and I would be grateful, sir, if it could be put to him that unless he accepts command of the First Battalion in Spain then criminal charges might be brought? Would that be possible?

Lawford blew a long stream of cigar smoke as he watched Sharpe. 'And why, in the name of God, do you want to serve under Girdwood?

'I don't intend to serve under him, sir.

Sir William smiled very slowly, understanding. 'I think I know the right ear, yes. May I say I'm glad that I am not your enemy, Richard?

'I'm glad of that too, sir.

He took Jane Gibbons away from the court. He was going back to Spain, and there were a hundred things he wanted to do before the Battalion left. They walked down the massive staircase towards the octagon room, and Jane suddenly gasped and gripped his arm. 'Major!

'You can call me Richard now.

She was not listening. She stared fearfully towards the bottom of the staircase.

The defeated, knowing that the next day they would buy themselves out of scandal, and eager to stop the smallest rumours from sullying their reputation, had decided to brazen this night out. They had come to Carlton House. Lord Fenner saw Sharpe and stepped back so that he would not be forced to recognise his enemy.