Setonthecuspofthe19thcenturyinDelhibeforetheBritishruledinthatregion,thedramadepictsthefortunesoftheresidentsofBeechamHouse,animposingmansionsurroundedbyacresofexoticwoodsandpristinelawns.
　　
　　TomBateman(VanityFair,JekyllandHyde)takestheroleofenigmatic,soulfulJohnBeecham,ahandsomeformersoldierwhohaspurchasedthemagnificentmansion,BeechamHouse,tobeginanewlifewithhisfamily.
　　
　　Wealthyanddistinguished,JohnhaswitnessedprofiteeringandexploitationduringhistimewiththecontrollingEastIndiaCompanyandhasresolvedtoconducthisbusinessasatraderinamoreequitablemanner.Determinedtoescapehispreviouslife,Johnappearshauntedbyhispast,butisinspiredtobecomeanhonourablememberoftheregion’stradingcommunity.
　　
　　InspiteofJohn’sgoodintentionshislifeisshroudedinmysteryandwhenhearrivesatthehousewithan‘olive-skinned‘childnamedAugustandtwoIndiannursemaids,Chanchal(ShriyaPilgaonkar)andMaya(TruptiKhamkar),itcausesspeculationandgossipamongsttheservantsthathemaybetheboy’sfather.OneoftheIndiannursemaids,thebeautifulChanchal,isoverlyprotectiveandparticularlyfondofthechild.CouldshebeJohn’sloverandthemotherofAugust?
　　
　　LesleyNicol(DowntonAbbey)isJohn’srobust,interferingmotherHenriettawhohastravelledfromEnglandtoIndiatostaywithherson.SheisaccompaniedbyayoungfamilyfriendViolet,playedbyBessieCarter(LesMiserables)whosheisdeterminedtohelpformaunionwithJohn.
　　
　　ThepairareaccompaniedbyanoldfriendofJohn’s,SamuelParker,playedbyMarcWarren(Safe,Hustle)whohasalsolefttheEastIndiaCompanyandhasreturnedtoIndiaforafreshstart.SamuelhelpsJohntofindhisbrotherDanielwhohehasnotseenfor10years.JohnconvincesDaniel,LeoSuter,(Victoria)toleavetheEastIndiaCompanyandjoinhimatBeechamHouse.
　　
　　GregoryFitoussi(MrSelfridge,Spiral)playsGeneralCastillon,aFrenchmercenaryworkingfortheEmperoratatimewhentheFrencharechallengingtheEastIndiaCompanyforIndia.CastillonissuspiciousofJohnandhismotivesandconspirestostopJohnbeinggrantedatradinglicence.
　　
　　AdilRay(CitizenKhan,AckleyBridge)isJohn’sneighbourMuradBegwhodislikesGeneralCastillonintenselyandagreestohelpJohnsecureatradinglicence.Murad’sdaughter,Roshanara,(KanikaKapur)hasanEnglishgovernessMargaretOsborne,playedbyDakotaBlueRichards(Endeavour)whosebeautyandintelligencecatchesJohn’sattention.However,whenbeautifulChandrika(PallaviSharda)arrivesatBeechamHousewithherentouragesheisshowntoluxuriousguestquartersandimmediatelyinsistsonseeingAugust.WhatsecretsdoesChandrikabringwithhertoBeechamHouse?