A Dangerous Madness

Home > Historical > A Dangerous Madness > Page 24
A Dangerous Madness Page 24

by Michelle Diener


  Ironically, if Bellingham could have got his nerve up a little earlier and killed Perceval even a week before he did, he might have prevented England and America going to war.

  It may have seemed to anyone who wanted the Orders in Council done away with that removing Perceval was the only way to do it. Prime ministers could be in office for fifteen years or more and Perceval had such a grip on government, it may have seemed impossible that he would be ousted by normal means.

  Mollie Gillen’s book The Assassination of the Prime Minister is not only the best book available on the facts of the case, Gillen also provides diary entries and newspaper clippings from the time so we get a view on what a wide range of people thought about Perceval and his murder. Gillen is careful to present the facts only, and not to speculate on whether Bellingham was a dupe or the ‘lone gunman’ he appeared to be.

  The truth is, if Bellingham was someone’s dupe, he was perfect. He really was convinced he would get away with Perceval’s murder. He could have run from the scene, and no one would have stopped him, or likely caught him afterward, but he didn’t. He intended to take the blame, in the name of obtaining justice and compensation for the injustice done to him, and if someone wanted Perceval dead, and no one official looking in their direction to find a suspect, they couldn’t have invented a better candidate than Bellingham.

  Bellingham’s trial was widely regarded at the time, and since, as a travesty. There were at least two sets of witnesses who raced down from Liverpool to attend the trial, against all odds and surely at huge expense, and yet it seems they were turned away by the court officials, presumably under the orders of Sir Vicary Gibbs, the Attorney-General. Gibbs did resign after the trial, citing other reasons, but it was suggested by contemporaries at the time that the lynch-mob mentality of his prosecution had ended his career.

  Bellingham’s wife received a large sum of money from a collection of people who were thrilled her husband had shot the prime minister and who felt sorry for her for what both she and her husband had endured through their trials in Russia.

  Knowing the extremely bad blood between the Prince Regent and Perceval, as well as stumbling upon mention of the odd behavior of Gascoyne, I couldn’t help but develop the conspiracy theory that I did, although as I mentioned earlier, there really was no shortage of suspects for me to choose from.

  The facts of the matter will probably never come to light, but it was extremely interesting delving into this incident and this time in British history.

  Michelle Diener

  About the Author

  Michelle Diener was born in London, grew up in South African and now lives in Australia with her family. She was bitten by the travel bug at a young age and has managed to feed her addiction with numerous trips to exciting places all over the world. She writes historical fiction and fantasy, and loves traveling to other times as well as places through the pages of a good book. You can contact Michelle through her website or sign up to receive notification when she has a new book out at www.michellediener.com.

  Historical Fiction Titles by Michelle Diener

  Susanna Horenbout & John Parker series:

  In a Treacherous Court

  Keeper of the King’s Secrets

  In Defense of the Queen

  Regency London series:

  The Emperor’s Conspiracy

  Banquet of Lies

  A Dangerous Madness

  Other historical novels:

  Daughter of the Sky

  * * *

  Fantasy Titles by Michelle Diener

  Mistress of the Wind

  The Golden Apple

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Author’s Note

  About the Author

  Also by Michelle Diener

 

 

 


‹ Prev