he gives Teresa and keeps for himself and his men), he learns that it is to pay for the construction of the enormous defensive Lines of Torres Vedras, which form an impregnable barrier between Marshal Masséna's army and Lisbon. Hogan reassures Sharpe that the gold was more necessary to Wellington than Almeida. Sharpe is granted a month's leave by Wellington, so he takes the opportunity to renew his acquaintance with Josefina LaCosta, who has set herself up in Lisbon as an exclusive courtesan. When she complains after Sharpe chases away her latest client, a wealthy lieutenant, Sharpe laughs and drops gold coins, showing that he has enough of "Sharpe's gold" for her. Characters Richard Sharpe — Captain in the British army, officer of rifles Sergeant Patrick Harper — sergeant in the British army, close friend and ally to Sharpe Major Michael Hogan – Wellington's intelligence-gathering officer Major Kearsey – one of Major Hogan's exploring officers Colonel Joaquín 'El Católico' Jovellanos – local partisan commander Teresa Moreno — Partisan leader Ramon Moreno – Teresa's brother References or allusions References to actual history, geography and current science Sharpe's story continues to be "intimately linked" with the real-life story of Sir Arthur Wellesley, who appears again in this book. Here the Duke is suffering from money worries as Cornwell states he "knew that money kept an army efficient". Although El Catolico and his treasure trove are literary inventions, the guerrillas and gold alluded to in this novel were an important part of the war against France ("the twin allies of British victory"); Cornwell admits that the "Sharpe books do not do justice to the guerillas". The books tells a fictionalised account of the destruction of Almeida which, as Cornwell notes "conveniently for a writer of fiction", remains a mystery. The Lines of Torres Vedras mentioned at the end of the novel are also a historical reality. Both sites were visited by the author during his research for the novel. References in other works The character of Teresa Moreno, who is introduced in this novel, goes on to play an important role in the following books of the series. She and Sharpe become lovers in this novel, though Sharpe's return to Josefina at the end of the novel prompt the reader to speculate on the degree of attraction between him and Teresa. The characters of Josefina and Claud Hardy were introduced in Cornwell's previous