Sharpe returns to England and accepts a post in Scarsdale, Yorkshire, the town of his birth. His task is to protect the mills from for Sir Willoughby Parfitt whose workers are rebelling. Harper goes with Sharpe.
A man named Matt Truman is the leader of the rebellion telling the workers that ex-soldiers are coming to take their jobs.
When Sharpe and Harper get to Yorkshire the local yeomanry under the command of Captain George Wickham meets them and escorts them to Shireburn Hall.
Meanwhile in London Jane is finding that as Lord Rossendale’s mistress she is being ignored by London society.
Sharpe meets Parfit at Shireburn Hall who tells him that Matt Truman is leading the rebellion and that Truman is responsible for burning mills. He also tells Sharpe now that the war is over the price of cotton is falling due to competition from abroad. Parfitt’s other guest is Sir Percy Stanwyck who is soon to take delivery of a steam engine that will also give Parfitt competition. Sharpe likes Stanwyck, but doesn’t trust Parfit or Wickham.
Later that evening Sharpe is attacked by Truman, but is saved by Hagman, who now lives in Scarsdale. Truman regards Sharpe as a traitor. Sharpe discovers that there is an award for one thousand pounds for the capture of Truman.
Sharpe visits Keighley workhouse where he grew up. He meets Sally, a friend, who tries to get Sharpe to speak to Truman, but Sharpe refuses.
Lady Anne goes to see Sharpe and tells him that Rossendale arranged Sharpe’s commission in Scarsdale to keep him out of London.
Parfit holds a ball to celebrate the end of the war, which Sharpe attends. He gets drawn into a show sword fight with Wickham, an expert swordsman who defeats him. Stanwyck sneers at Wickham and demands to know where he was when Sharpe was fighting the French at Talavera.
Rossendale visits Parfit telling him that Sharpe beat up Jane and claims that Sharpe is blackmailing him for ten thousand pounds.
Sharpe discovers where Jane and Rossendale are living and demands the return of his money from Jane.
Harper tells Sharpe there is to be an illegal gathering of the workers led by Truman in Keighley Square. Sharpe issues instructions for Wickham’s men to arrest Truman without loss of life. But Wickham orders his men to rampage through the crowds injuring and killing the workers.
As the guest of Wickham Lady Anne finds out that Parfit and Rossendale have sent reports to both horse guards and the press stating that Sharpe was responsible for the massacre.
Sharpe realises when talking to Sally that Truman is his half brother. Parfit and Rossendale know this and Sharpe is warned by Lady Anne that Parfit and Rossendale have set a trap for him, that it was Wickham, not Truman who was responsible for burning the mills so that Parfit could then acquire them cheaply.
When Sharpe meets up with Truman, Truman is shot and killed by the yeomanry and Sharpe seeks vengeance.
Lady Anne tells Stanwyck that his steam engine is to be attacked by Parfitt’s men posing as Truman and his rebels. Sharpe attacks Parfit’s masked men who are trying to destroy the steam engine. Wickham appears as a masked swordsman and fights with Sharpe. First he seems to be beating Sharpe again, but he loses his footing and Sharpe points the sword at him.
The cavalry arrive and Wickham claims he was defending Stanwyck’s steam engine from attack, but Stanwyck knows the truth and has Wickham arrested.
Sharpe tells Parfit to write a letter to horse guards telling them what really happened at the massacre and makes Rossendale promise to obtain his release from service in Scarsdale. Jane tells Sharpe that Rossendale will not do this unless he leaves them alone and she refuses to return his money.
Sharpe returns to France and Lucille.