The Ponson case

The story opens on a warm July evening at Luce Manor, a grand Georgian house perched on a hill and surrounded by ancient beeches, a rose‑clad pergola, and a winding river. Sir William Ponson, a self‑made former iron‑master turned country squire, dines alone in a black‑oak panelled room, his thoughts drifting toward the simple pleasures of hunting, tennis and the comforting presence of his family. His daughter Enid, shy yet charismatic, fills the house with music and kindness, embodying the gentle heart of a family that has endured loss and the shift from industrial wealth to rural respectability.

When the clock strikes past eleven, the expected arrival of Parkes, the butler who delivers Sir William’s nightly punch, never comes, and the quiet evening takes on a note of unease. The valet Innes, still polishing a bottle of port, remarks on the delay, hinting at a tension that begins to ripple through the household. As the manor’s shadows deepen, listeners are invited to step into a world where genteel routine meets a whisper of intrigue, setting the stage for a classic mystery to unfold.