Rayton: A Backwoods Mystery

In the quiet valley of Beaver Brook, the respectable settlement of Samson’s Mill has long prided itself on order and hard‑working folk. That calm is shaken when the charismatic Reginald Baynes Rayton moves in, his easy humor and flamboyant riding breeches stirring gossip and unease among the townspeople. At a modest gathering in Rayton’s snug living room, six men—farmers, a banker, a doctor, and the aging Captain Wigmore—take up a simple game of poker, using white beans instead of chips.

The evening quickly turns from lighthearted banter to a subtle contest of wits. As the cards are dealt, a curious question arises: the six of clubs seems oddly marked, prompting David Marsh to demand an explanation. Suspicion flickers in the eyes of Benjamin Samson and the others, hinting that beneath the laughter lies a deeper rivalry and perhaps a secret worth more than any stake. Listeners will be drawn into the quiet tension of a backwoods community where even a humble card game can expose hidden motives.