Chapter 8 Summary

Sharpe orders the Parkers' carriage to continue. He keeps a dozen riflemen behind concealed beneath a group of trees hoping to buy time for the carriage to escape. Sergeant Williams and the rest of the riflemen remain with the carriage. Sharpe sees the same French officer he had seen in a previous attack and he sees the man in the black coat and white boots.

Sharpe observes a French officer ordering only a small unit of French soldiers to advance rather than ordering a full charge. Sharpe knows that the smaller group of French soldiers will discover the riflemen and eliminate the riflemen's ability to surprise the larger force. Sharpe orders the riflemen to retreat and join the others at the carriage. Once at the carriage, Sharpe orders the Parkers to abandon it, but Mrs. Parker refuses. Sharpe violently pulls her from the...