Setonthecus ofthe19thcenturyinDelhibeforetheBritishruledinthatregion,thedramade ictsthefortunesoftheresidentsofBeechamHouse,anim osingmansionsurroundedbyacresofexoticwoodsand ristinelawns.&ems ;&ems ;&ems ;&ems ;TomBateman(VanityFair,JekyllandHyde)takestheroleofenigmatic,soulfulJohnBeecham,ahandsomeformersoldierwhohas urchasedthemagnificentmansion,BeechamHouse,tobeginanewlifewithhisfamily.&ems ;&ems ;&ems ;&ems ;Wealthyanddistinguished,Johnhaswitnessed rofiteeringandex loitationduringhistimewiththecontrollingEastIndiaCom anyandhasresolvedtoconducthisbusinessasatraderinamoreequitablemanner.Determinedtoesca ehis reviouslife,Johna earshauntedbyhis ast,butisins iredtobecomeanhonourablememberoftheregion’stradingcommunity.&ems ;&ems ;&ems ;&ems ;Ins iteofJohn’sgoodintentionshislifeisshroudedinmysteryandwhenhearrivesatthehousewithan‘olive-skinned‘childnamedAugustandtwoIndiannursemaids,Chanchal(ShriyaPilgaonkar)andMaya(Tru tiKhamkar),itcausess eculationandgossi amongsttheservantsthathemaybetheboy’sfather.OneoftheIndiannursemaids,thebeautifulChanchal,isoverly rotectiveand articularlyfondofthechild.CouldshebeJohn’sloverandthemotherofAugust?&ems ;&ems ;&ems ;&ems ;LesleyNicol(DowntonAbbey)isJohn’srobust,interferingmotherHenriettawhohastravelledfromEnglandtoIndiatostaywithherson.Sheisaccom aniedbyayoungfamilyfriendViolet, layedbyBessieCarter(LesMiserables)whosheisdeterminedtohel formaunionwithJohn.&ems ;&ems ;&ems ;&ems ;The airareaccom aniedbyanoldfriendofJohn’s,SamuelParker, layedbyMarcWarren(Safe,Hustle)whohasalsolefttheEastIndiaCom anyandhasreturnedtoIndiaforafreshstart.Samuelhel sJohntofindhisbrotherDanielwhohehasnotseenfor10years.JohnconvincesDaniel,LeoSuter,(Victoria)toleavetheEastIndiaCom anyandjoinhimatBeechamHouse.&ems ;&ems ;&ems ;&ems ;GregoryFitoussi(MrSelfridge,S iral) laysGeneralCastillon,aFrenchmercenaryworkingfortheEm eroratatimewhentheFrencharechallengingtheEastIndiaCom anyforIndia.Castillonissus iciousofJohnandhismotivesandcons irestosto Johnbeinggrantedatradinglicence.&ems ;&ems ;&ems ;&ems ;AdilRay(CitizenKhan,AckleyBridge)isJohn’sneighbourMuradBegwhodislikesGeneralCastillonintenselyandagreestohel Johnsecureatradinglicence.Murad’sdaughter,Roshanara,(KanikaKa ur)hasanEnglishgovernessMargaretOsborne, layedbyDakotaBlueRichards(Endeavour)whosebeautyandintelligencecatchesJohn’sattention.However,whenbeautifulChandrika(PallaviSharda)arrivesatBeechamHousewithherentouragesheisshowntoluxuriousguestquartersandimmediatelyinsistsonseeingAugust.WhatsecretsdoesChandrikabringwithhertoBeechamHouse?