Indian Summers

In 1932 Alice Whelan, fleeing a faithless husband in England and passing herself off as a widow, arrives with her baby in Simla, India, where her brother Ralph is private secretary to the Viceroy. On the train she meets the missionary Dougie Raworth and his waspish wife Sarah with their young son. A little boy is lifeless on the railway track, poisoned for being a half caste, and Dougie and his assistant Leena save him, calling him Adam.

Following the shooting a curfew is imposed whilst Ralph's assistant Ronnie brings in a journalist, to raise Ralph's profile, though Ralph directs him towards Aafrin, still lying injured in hospital. Alice goes to see if she can help Aafrin's family whilst Ralph visits the gunman, nationalist Chandru Mohan, in prison only to get attacked by him. Ralph turns to Cynthia for solace, by which time Mohan has been found dead in his cell. Armitage gives his nephew Ian a tour of the plantation, meeting his neighbour Ramu Sood, to whom Armitage adopts a racist attitude but to whom he apparently owes money. The Raworths' marriage continues to disintegrate as Dougie gives the orphanage priority whilst Aafrin wakes from his coma to find Alice by his bed and Madeleine and Ralph share a bath.

Ralph offers Aafrin, now fully recovered, a promotion whilst Ranu asks Ian to intervene with his uncle for money Armitage owes him and Sooni canvasses for independence though her meeting is brutally interrupted and she is arrested. Aafrin asks Ralph to secure her release, which he does, as well as requesting Aafrin and Alice to say the same thing at the inquest on Chandru Mohan. Alice volunteers to help at the orphanage, where Leena tells her that many of the children are not orphans but mixed race, rejected by their parents, and they observe Aafrin with his secret lover Sita. The Sipi fair takes place, where Indians can enter the grounds of the British Club. Here Sarah accuses Leena of having an affair with Dougie and Armitage collapses fighting with Ranu, who has served him with an eviction notice. At the inquest Aafrin and Alice obey Ralph's request but afterwards Aafrin finds an interesting document.

Armitage dies and Ranu offers Ian work as his plantation manager to the disgust of the racist Cynthia Coffin. Believing Ralph only wants Madeleine as a mistress and not a wife Eugene announces that they are returning to Chicago, prompting Ralph to ask Aafrin if he should propose. Sarah Raworth announces her intention of sending her little son back to England and, when she fails to get the expected support from Alice, threatens to expose her secret. The Viceroy comes to visit and Aafrin is invited to a dinner in his honour. Here he learns that the authorities are looking for the - possibly fake - certificate linking Chandru Mohan to Gandhi's Congress Party which Aafrin stole. He asks Alice to take a message to Sita, requesting that she instructs Sooni to destroy it but Sita, aware that the Delals disapprove of her, fails to do so and the document is found.

The Viceroy prepares a lavish engagement party for Madeleine and Ralph though both Cynthia and Alice question his motive whilst Cynthia also learns from Eugene that the Mathers have no money. At a meeting to discuss political power sharing Ralph supports Dr Kamble, representative of the despised Hindu 'Untouchables', aiming to get him on side against the Congress party, and invites him to the party, incurring the displeasure of the Viceroy and many of the Brahmin guests. Encouraged by Cynthia Ian asks Ranu why he has employed him as his manager and is told he will learn business skills in exchange for letting Ranu use a British name for his plantation. Aafrin's father tries to persuade his wife to accept the Untouchable Sita, who has lied to Aafrin by claiming that the certificate is safe though at the party Alice and Aafrin share more than a secret and Adam's mother appears, to present him to his natural father.

Shocked to see Jaya, Adam's mother, Ralph ignores Cynthia Coffin's advice and goes to meet her where it becomes apparent that Adam is his son and it was Jaya's father who shot him. He promises to find Jaya a home and ensure Adam's welfare. Following their passionate embrace Alice and Aafrin are cool to each other. He is surprised that his father has persuaded the family to welcome Sita into their house whilst she is charmed by handsome mountaineer Billy Farquhar - until he reveals that he is a friend of her husband, spying on her on his behalf. Ralph pushes him downstairs, claiming it was an accident, but Billy leaves Simla anyway. Barred from the club for drunkenness Ian is returning home from a visit to Ranu, who claims that Jaya stole from him, when he hears a scream and discovers a body.

As Jaya's body is discovered Ralph claims not to know her but Ian, questioned by the police, mentions that Ramu had claimed she stole from him. As a result Ramu is arrested and a confession forced from him. Feeling guilty Ralph persuades the Viceroy to donate a huge contribution to the orphanage where Adam lives, causing Leena to conclude that Adam is Ralph's son. He also confesses that he once loved Jaya to Cynthia, whom he momentarily suspects may have been the killer. Ian meanwhile believes more and more in Ramu's innocence and alienates himself from the other Britons as he tries to give him a false alibi. Elsewhere local police confront Aaafrin with the stolen certificate, leading him to accuse Alice of betraying him.

The British community turn out in force for the murder trial. Ian is wracked with guilt for the role he has played in Ramus arrest and prepares to act as his alibi; a decision that will come at a great cost as he further ostracises himself from his British peers. Sooni takes advantage of the trial to gain some much-needed legal experience. Ralph is terrified that the truth of Adams true paternity will be revealed. Cynthia is determined to see Ramu sent down for murder. Leena is torn apart in the witness box, causing Dougie to publically support her, a move which humiliates Sarah. Aafrin finally admits his true feelings for Alice.

As Simla prepares for the arrival of a powerful Nawab, Madeline is dealt some devastating news. Alice is terrified when Sarah threatens to tell everyone at the Club that Alice's husband is still alive. Sergeant Singh discovers an incriminating note from Aafrin to Sita which he uses to blackmail Aafrin into joining their terrorist group. Aafrin is warned about the dangers of having a relationship with a British woman. The recent tensions between Ralph and Cynthia come to a head leading to a bitter row between the pair, leaving their relationship in tatters.

It’s the end of the summer season and Ramu Sood’s fate is left in Ralph’s hands. Now that he knows the truth behind the murder, will he let an innocent man hang? A vote takes place at the club to lift the colour bar and although Ronnie tells Cynthia that it was on Willingdon’s orders, Cynthia is completely aware that it is an act of vengeance by Ralph following their recent argument. Alice and Aafrin prepare to go public with their relationship, but will the news of their partnership be as welcomed as they think? Sarah is distraught as she prepares to say goodbye to India and her husband.