Krishna
Sharpe, after his adventures in India (See the previous books which we have reviewed, Sharpe’s Fortress and Sharpe’s Triumph just to name two) has been recalled to England. But first he must deal with the treacherous and duplicitous Nana Rao, a merchant who tries to swindle him along with all other customers.
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Chase, a British officer, comes to get Nana but is rebuffed by his cousin and partner in the scam Pandit. Sharpe turns the tables on them, getting money back and earning the gratitude of Charles as they prepare to leave for England.
Chase takes Sharpe and offers him breakfast when Lord William Hale, a hard and cruel man lands. His wife Grace is spectacular to look at and Sharpe is instantly smitten. (A usual stratagem in many of Bernard Cornwell’s novels). She seems to be unhappy in manner and many years younger than Hale.
He also sees Baron von Domberg – a nobleman and his girl on the deck. The Baron is shocked to see Sharpe since he is no German baron but Pohlman, whom Sharpe had spared in his fight with the Marattas (Mahratta according to Cromwell but oh well). He extracts a promise that Sharpe will not betray him and then trusts him.
Unlike the first few books including the ones referenced above, in this book, nothing happens well into the book except a voyage by ship. Yes, there is drama, romance etc but the story hardly moves at all. This is unusual for Bernard, and frankly, a bit disappointing. The book takes a very long time to warm up. But warm up it does and it sets the stage for the drama. However, I still think that the Trafalgar in the title does not do justice to the main plot.
As expected Lady Grace and Sharpe fall for each other, and they have clandestine assignments in Sharpe’s cabin. However, the servant of her husband (the husband is a pompous ass who treats Grace like dirt) threatens to expose him and is frightened within an inch of his death by Sharpe who is still uneasy.
Meanwhile Cromwell (the ship’s captain) and Pohlman are in some kind of conspiracy and it comes to light when they have deviated from the group and gone alone, only to be confronted by a French war ship. All looks doomed.
The book takes off when the French board the ship easily and Sharpe finds that the very valuable diamonds he had ‘entrusted’ to Cromwell is gone. He is angry. Lady Grace fears for her safety and Sharpe also learns that valuables from other passengers has gone too. Baron (Pohlman) has disappeared too and Sharpes fears that together Cromwell and Pohlman have sold the ship for profit are confirmed.
Meanwhile both Sharpe and the British major Duncan find themselves restricted. They have their freedom and even the sword but are forbidden to go to the deck.
Sharpe happens to be in the next cabin with Major Dunham when he hears the French captain trying to force himself on Lady Grace and he goes and kills the man when her own husband was standing helpless.
And they sabotage the ship so that the British ship can capture it
again, and this time Sharpe’s old friend Chase is the one who comes to
take over!
When Sharpe learns of the fact that the secretary of William, Braithwaite, was blackmailing Lady Grace, he is furious. One day, he accidentally comes across the man and then kills him. The people who find the body believe he fell down the ladder and broke his neck. Before he dies, Braithwaite tells him that he has put his confessions in an envelope to the attention of Lord William but Sharpe guesses that it is the plea of a desperate man. Unfortunately, to Sharpe’s cost, much later, he realizes that it was not an empty threat.
The story convolutedly runs around. As they finally found and chase the ship that took away Sharpe’s jewels with Pohlman in it, they meet Nelson’s fleet fighting the French and Chase forgets all about the chase and wants to join the fight on the English side – Nelson himself inviting Chase (through flag messages) was enough for him.
There is a lot of naval language – unusual in Cromwell’s stories even though many of those are about sea battles on ships further drags the story down for a layman. Forgotten is Grace, who just announced to Sharpe that she was pregnant with his baby but her husband thinks it is her husband’s. Forgotten is the original story, forgotten is Sharpe’s return to England to join the Rifles division.
The final battle is brilliantly described. It is Bernard’s forte and he meets all his traitors one by one on the ship which had joined the battle on the French side and metes out punishments where he could. He found some (eg Pohlman) already dead but the rest were fair game. The dialog, the defiance and the punishment are all told brilliantly.
Meanwhile Lord William confronts Lady Grace in the bottom of the ship and shows her that there was indeed a letter from Braithwaite revealing all, and also tells her how he subsequently verified that it was all true.
He pulls out a gun and points at Grace.
The ending is brillant, as in most Cornwell stories.
A pleasure to read, despite the convoluted meanderings of our Sharpe
7/10
— Krishna