Lord Spears conducts a solo charge against the fleeing French and is fatally shot. Sharpe comes to his aid. Spears is dying and he wants Sharpe to tell his sister that he died honourably and he tells Sharpe that he wants to die because he has the Black Lion (syphilis), which results in an ugly death. He tells Sharpe that he knew that Hélène was a French spy and that he had told Hogan this some time ago. Sharpe realises that he is lying and suspects that he is the traitor in the British headquarters who stole Hogan's list. He threatens to kill Spears by stabbing him in the back (which would make it seem like he was killed whilst running away). Spears relents and confesses. He had not sold out Curtis because Leroux already knew. but he did give Leroux the book in which Curtis had written down the details of all the agents in his network. Spears had been hoping that in exchange Leroux would give him a night with his sister, but instead, he gave him back his parole and promised to provide his sister with a dowry when he returned to Paris. Then, at Spears' own request, Sharpe shoots him in the head. He reports to Hogan that Leroux has Curtis's book.