Mr Cornwell. I was first introduced to your wonderful Sharpe series about a year and half ago now by a school friend. I never thought that Historical fiction was really my kind of thing but the adventures with Sharpe and Co. have changed my mind on that and I am trying to read the series chronologically. I have recently finished Havoc, though I am not as far through the series as I would like to be! mainly due to distractions and other books which have interested me. Though I must say that I see a patern which appears in all the books of the series which I have read so far and that pattern is that in every book Sharpe always seems get the girl (even if that girl is already his wife). So I was wondering why it was that in Sharpe’s Havoc you decided to let him remain a free agent and let the great character of lieutenant Vicente get the girl instead. Hope you can answer this. Euan