Sharpes Gold   ::   Корнуэлл Бернард

Sharpe looked at the smoke, at the flames on the hilltop, smelt the burning. 'Don't we all? He shook himself free, turned again to the grey-haired man. 'I'll be back for her, one day.

'I know.

The French had left their lines to gape at the smoking ruins at the northern wall. There was nothing to stop the Company leaving, and they took the gold and went west, under the smoke, and back to the army. The war was not lost.



EPILOGUE

'What happened, Richard?

'Nothing, sir.

Hogan moved his horse forward to a patch of succulent grass. 'I don't believe you.

Sharpe stirred in his saddle; he hated riding. 'There was a girl.

'Is that all?

'All? She was special.

The breeze from the sea was cool on his face; the water sparkled with a million flashes of light, like a giant army of lance-tips, and beating northwards towards the Channel a frigate laid its grey sails towards the land and left a streak of white in its path.

Hogan watched the ship. 'Despatches.

'News of victory? Sharpe's tone was ironic.

'They won't believe it. It's a funny victory. Hogan stared at the distant horizon, miles out to sea from the hilltop where their horses stood. 'Do you see the fleet out there? A convoy going home.

Sharpe grunted, felt the twinge in his healing shoulder. 'More money for the bloody merchants. Why couldn't they have sent it here?

Hogan smiled. 'There's never enough, Richard. Never.

'There had better be now. After what we did to get it here.

'What did you do?

'I told you, nothing. He stared a challenge at the gentle Irish Major. 'We were sent to get it, we got it, and we brought it back.

'The General's pleased. Hogan said it in a neutral tone.

'He'd bloody better be pleased! For Christ's sake!

'He thought you were lost. Hogan's horse moved again, cropping the grass, and the Major took off his cocked hat and fanned his face. 'Pity about Almeida.

Sharpe made a face. 'Pity about Almeida.

Hogan sighed patiently. 'We thought it was done for. We heard the explosion, of course, and there was no gold. Without the gold there was no chance.

'There was a little chance. Sharpe almost spat the words at him and Hogan shrugged.

'No, not a chance you'd want, Richard.

Sharpe let his anger sink; he thought of the girl, watched the frigate flap its sails and bend into its next tack. 'Which would you rather have had, sir? His voice was very cold, very far away.