Alice Whelan

Ralph Whelan's younger sister. Alice is a determined and steely young woman who returns to India with her young son in the aftermath of her husband's death. India opens up a whole new world to Alice and she finds love in the hills of Simla but her newfound relationship, coupled with a revelation about her husband, threatens both Alice’s new found happiness and her brother’s ascending career.

Jemima West plays Alice Whelan.

History
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 Raworth with their young son.

Chandru Mohan later fires at Ralph but Aafrin steps in and takes the bullet and Alice insists on breaking protocol by accompanying him to 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.

Aafrin wakes from his coma to find Alice by his bed.

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.

At the inquest Aafrin and Alice obey Ralph's request but afterwards Aafrin finds an interesting document.

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.