Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4 Summary

Richard Sharpe, Patrick Harper, and other riflemen participate in the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo and the siege of Badajoz as the British army secures a foothold in Spain. As the bloody campaign unfolds around them, Sharpe re-encounters Teresa Moran and learns that he is the father of her infant daughter Antonia. Teresa returns to Badajoz and relies upon Sharpe to protect her from the ravages sure to be inflicted by a victorious British army. Meanwhile Sharpe's old enemy Sergeant Hakeswill is determined to rape Teresa and murder Sharpe.

In Chapter 1, Sharpe participates in the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo and passes the time in Spain by recalling events from his immediate past. Sharpe is a large man, six feet tall, with dark hair and a face disfigured by scarring. A combat veteran of numerous campaigns, Sharpe is in excellent physical condition. He...