Chapter 20 and Epilogue Summary

Anne intervenes during Sharpe's arrest proceedings and immediately gains Fenner's undivided attention when she presents to him one of the two red leather accounting ledgers. She claims the other ledger is safely hidden away. Fenner is flabbergasted at Anne's possession of the books, though she tells him that it was rather easy to obtain them from his servant. Anne's hatred of the vicious Fenner thus aids Sharpe at a critical juncture. Fenner is much embarrassed by the turn of events and sends away the various court officials, all of them protesting at the unusual turn of events. The negotiations are brief and somewhat vague, but in brief Anne will be released from her debts and unofficial servitude; the men and officers of the second battalion will be immediately sent abroad to reinforce the first battalion; Jane Gibbons will be...