Sept 1813 - While in the Spanish hills, Sharpe and his men come across a scene of devastation in the town of Casa Antiga. The town has been sacked by the fearsome French commander, Brigadier General Guy Loup and his Wolf brigade. Perkins rescues a young woman from two of Loup's soldiers and they are arrested. When Loup rides into town demanding they be released, Sharpe refuses and has them executed in front of him. Loup vows revenge.Back at camp, Wellington gives Sharpe command of the Royal Irish Company and orders him to knock them into shape. The Irish descendants are inexperienced and unused to the harsh realities of war and it is not long before they consider mutiny. Sharpe tells them they have three choices: be slaughtered by the French, get shot for deserting or stay and learn how to be soldiers. Sharpe's gallantry and battle-hardened experience wins the company over and they soon begin to respect him.However Sharpe faces treachery from the Spanish partisan fighter, Dona Juanita de