Lord Lister No. 0029: Het Indische raadsel

At dawn the harbor of Portsmouth erupts with color as a regal Indian Maharajah steps onto a warship, escorted by a vivid retinue of soldiers, dancers and flag‑bearers. The scene is a tableau of pageantry, the air filled with the strains of “God Save the King” and the roar of cannons, while young Lord Turkington, appointed to accompany the dignitary, watches with a mix of awe and unease. Beneath the celebration, a whispered talk with his elderly aide reveals a darker worry: his father lies gravely ill, and a sealed document must reach him before night falls.

Back in his family's mansion, Turkington is led to a dimly lit study where the family solicitor hands over the father's final missive. The letter, written in trembling hand, urges his son to act swiftly, hinting at a hidden danger that could threaten more than just the family name. As the clock ticks toward midnight, the lord finds himself torn between duty to the crown, the honor of his lineage, and a mystery that beckons him into the shadows of political intrigue.