Major Sharpe is assigned to head the Scarsdale Yeomanry in his native Yorkshire, depriving him of a chance to settle the score with his adulterous wife Jane and her lover, Lord Rossendale.

Sharpe and Regimental Sergeant Major Harper are met on their arrival by Captain George Wickham, an officer in the Yeomanry.

Sharpe pursues (but does not catch) one of the men, who turns out to be his close childhood friend, Matthew Truman.

The discharge of men from the army has flooded England with unemployed workmen; the increased competition and a reduced demand for cotton gives Parfitt an excuse to lower wages.

While in hiding, Sharpe is warned by Lady Anne Camoynes that Parfitt and Wickham intend to secretly intercept and destroy a steam engine that Stanwyck is bringing in, in order to weaken his business rival.

In the end, Sharpe heads back to London, Harper to Ireland, while Hagman stays behind, having taken a liking to Sally.