August 1810. Lisbon is bracing for the advancing Grande Armée. Unless a miracle occurs, Napoleon Bonaparte and his soldiers will win the war on the Iberian Peninsula. The English troops under Wellington's command are backed into a corner - only a large amount of gold can change their fate. But that treasure lies hidden behind enemy lines, and only one man is bold enough to track it down and secure it: Sharpe! When a feared partisan leader unexpectedly stands in his way, he gains a new nemesis - not only on the battlefield but also in the fight for the affection of a beautiful woman...