After the last battle has been fought, the Peninsula war is finally over for Britain and her allies, but the action does not end here for Sharpe. He is set up by his long-time enemy, Ducos, and is accused of stealing Napolean's priceless treasures.Sharpe is also abandoned by his wife, Jane, who returns to England, where she meets the handsome Lord Rossendale. On the run from both the English and the French, Sharpe must find a way to prove his innocence.