With Napoleon having escaped from Elba, Sharpe re-enlists and finds himself as a lieutenant colonel on the staff of the Prince of Orange. Sharpe witnesses the French troops advancing towards the allied position but the Dutch troops he gives a message to fail to pass it on. Sharpe eventually tracks down the Duke of Wellington at the Duchess of Richmond's ball and informs him of the movement. Sharpe's partner Lucille has been escorted to the ball by his friend Patrick Harper, who is present with the army as an armed civilian. Sharpe also encounters Lord John Rossendale, the lover of his estranged wife Jane. He demands the return of the money Jane took from him while Jane encourages Rossendale to use the battle as cover to kill Sharpe.
On the field at Quatre Bras, the Prince of Orange disregards Sharpe's advice and issues orders for his men to form line when a French cavalry patrol is nearby. As a result, a regiment is decimated by the French troops although Sharpe and Harper save their old regiment the Prince of Wales Own Volunteers by helping them take cover among the trees.