March 1932, Ralph Whelan and the rest of the ICS begin the annual move to Simla. Ralph's sister, Alice, returns to India following the death of her husband. Cynthia Coffin prepares the exclusively white British Club for the start of the summer season. A mysterious assassin makes his way to Simla leading to a bloody start to the summer season.

The fallout from the shooting reverberates around Simla and a curfew is put in place to deal with the supposed terrorist threat. The arrival of a journalist causes trouble for Ralph when he attempts to uncover the truth behind the assassination attempt. Sarah becomes suspicious of Alice's past and begins some detective work to uncover the real reasons behind her move to India.

It's the Sipi Fair in Simla, the only time in the year that the Indian community is allowed onto the grounds of the British Club, however Ralph and Cynthia are more distracted by the upcoming inquest. Sooni finds herself in serious trouble when she's arrested at a pro-independence rally.

There's much excitement in Simla as the Viceroy arrives for the first of his summer visits. Ralph is troubled when he discovers that the only piece of evidence that linked Chandru Mohan to the Congress Party has gone missing. Sarah receives news from England that sheds light on Alice's mysterious past.

Ralph's attempts to take advantage of divisions amongst the Indian communities to further the British agenda prove risky when he invites a member of the Untouchable community to a lavish party held at Viceregal Lodge in honour of his engagement. Cynthia is left reeling when Eugene makes a revelation about his family's finances. Sarah uses her knowledge of Alice's secret past to blackmail her friend, placing Alice in a very difficult position.

The pressure continues to mount on Ralph as Jaya reveals the real reason for her visit to Simla. A mountaineer saves Alice, Madeleine and Ronnie from a perilous situation and inveigles his way into Alice's affectations. Darius puts pressure on Roshana to accept Sita into the Dalal family fold.