Interactive Communication Game “The Manor Mystery”

This story began on a gloomy, rain-soaked autumn day — October 1, 1874 — at the “Doublebottom” manor, where storm clouds hung like heavy curtains, blocking out the light of the sky, as if nature itself were preparing to witness something extraordinary.

Excerpts from British newspapers of the time

"Harold Barnaby and two brave British soldiers — Major Williams and Lieutenant Fisher — have rescued the son of an Indian Raja. Raja Singh, a loyal supporter of Queen Victoria’s policies, stated in an interview that his son had been hidden in an abandoned jungle city, in a temple dedicated to the goddess of death, Kali. None of the kidnappers were captured, but the young man was recovered. He had been drugged with opium and remembered absolutely nothing."

"The decision to rescue the Raja’s heir seemed obvious to us," Harold Barnaby told the newspaper Bombay Truth.
"Fisher claimed to know of an ancient temple hidden deep in the jungle. We decided to investigate. A beautiful temple, remarkably well preserved — apart from the worshippers of Kali, who were not particularly welcoming. But with them we… reached an understanding."

Thanks to the return of his son, Raja Singh was said to be overjoyed. He rewarded his rescuers with a generosity that astonished even British veterans experienced in dealing with Indian rulers: gold coins, jewelled floral ornaments, precious gemstones, and finely crafted daggers became the property of ordinary soldiers.
The British Museum immediately expressed interest in the collection and promised an astronomical sum.

"My son’s life is priceless," the Raja declared. "I gave away everything that was dearest to me."

But the story of the three heroes did not end there.

The Tragedy in Bombay

Exactly one month later, society was shaken by horrifying news: Lieutenant Fisher was found stabbed to death in a hotel in Bombay. His dagger collection had vanished without a trace.
Major Williams, though wounded, managed to keep his gold.
As for Harold Barnaby, he hastily left the city that very evening, while the other two Britons could obtain tickets for a ship to London only the following morning.

Return to England

Upon his return to England, Barnaby announced his intention to auction the unique collection of treasures he had received from the Raja. He chose to hold the auction at his beloved manor — on the very day of his niece Jessica Barnaby’s birthday.

The guest list included close friends, renowned appraisers, collectors, the Director of the British Museum, a neighbouring lady… and even Queen Victoria.

However, due to heavy rain and storms, not everyone was able to attend.
A pity — for the luncheon at three o’clock was so exquisite that the guests momentarily forgot about both the roads and the raging weather.

And then came Harold’s announcement — one that transformed this pleasant celebratory day into an event spoken of throughout Britain for months.