Sharpes Gold   ::   Корнуэлл Бернард

The South Essex, shorn of its Light Company, was up north and soon, Sharpe knew, they must march to join it. One battle more, Hogan had said, with any luck and a fair wind, and then the army would march south to the safety of its Lines, and Colonel Lawford had greeted him with open arms and waved a despatch at Sharpe.

'Reinforcements, Richard! They're on their way! You can bring them up from Lisbon! Officers, Sergeants, two hundred and seventy men! Good news!

The ships had still not come, beating down from Plymouth on the journey that could take seven days or seven weeks, and Sharpe was content to wait. He slid, with relief, off the horse and gave Hogan the reins.

'I'll see you tomorrow?

The Major nodded, scribbled on a piece of paper. 'That's her address.

Sharpe smiled his thanks, turned, but Hogan called after him.

'Richard!

'Sir?

'We needed that gold. Well done.

Sixteen thousand coins, two hundred and fifty stolen by El Catolico, a thousand to Teresa, fourteen thousand to the General, and the rest was being spent by the Light Company and the Germans as if money were issued with the rations. Sharpe had ordered them to get drunk, to find their women, and if any provost asked where the money came from they were referred to Sharpe, and somehow they did not want to argue with the tall, scarred Rifleman who simply told them it was stolen. There was even money in Sharpe's name in London, held by the agents, Messrs Hopkinson and Son of St Alban's Street, Knowles's agents, and Sharpe wondered, as he walked towards the address Hogan had given him, just what a four per cent stock was. The Lisbon office had laughed politely when he told them it was stolen. He had not given them all the coins.

The house looked rich, and he imagined Hardy using the big front door that was answered by Agostino, Josefina's servant, who now wore a fancy powdered wig and a coat that was all buttons and lace.

'Sir?

Sharpe pushed him out of the way, strode into a marble hall with palms, rugs, and latticed screens. He thought of Teresa, pushed the thought away because he wanted her, and thought how she would have despised the scent that filled the hallway.

He went into a huge room that opened through archways on to a terrace high above the Tagus. Orange trees framed the view, their scent mingling with the smell of perfume.

'Josefina!

'Richard!

She was in an archway, the evening light round her body so he could not see her face. 'What are you doing?

'Visiting you.

She came forward, plumper than he remembered, and smiled at him.