A Dangerous Madness by Michelle Diener Page A

someone. Someone convinced him the law would be on his side if he killed the prime minister. He’s spouting legal terms, but he doesn’t understand them properly.” James thought back to the calm, the focus of the man, and he felt pity. There would be no saving Bellingham on Friday. He had killed Perceval in cold blood, no matter what he kept telling himself and everyone around him.
    “The information I have about the proceedings is that Gascoyne outright lied during them. I’d like to read what he said for myself.”
    Dervish paused with a coffee cup halfway to his lips. “Gascoyne lied?”
    “Jerdan, the British Press correspondent who was right behind Perceval when he was shot, said his testimony was false. He couldn’t work out why, though. Could just be self-importance. Or something more sinister.”
    “Good God. Won’t that go down well in all quarters? Especially as Gascoyne’s the assassin’s member of parliament.” Dervish leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. “Do you have any good news?”
    “Depends what you think is good.” James tucked into his omelette. Georges might resign if he didn’t eat it while it was hot. “One of your Home Office spies was there when Bellingham shot Perceval, as well.”
    Dervish opened his eyes and stared at him, his bright blue gaze patient and flat.
    James grinned at his air of exasperation. Dervish needed a little teasing in his life. “Vincent Dowling. I’ve read some reports by him when I’ve sat on that radicals committee you chair.”
    “You’re sure it’s the same person?”
    “I checked. It is. Jerdan mentions him as arriving on the scene at the same time as Gasgoyne. His real employment, when he isn’t spying for the government, is as the political correspondent for the Day .”
    “Someone needs to speak to him.”
    “I plan to.” James leaned back. “I’ll be very interested to hear what he has to say.”
    But there was something he had to do first. “Who will the authorities approach with news of Sheldrake’s death?”
    Dervish’s eyes narrowed. “His heir, most likely. If he has one. I know his parents are both dead.”
    “And Miss Hillier?”
    “Eventually someone will speak to her. Most likely she’ll hear it in the press before anyone official gets to her.”
    “I’ll tell her.”
    Dervish looked at him over the rim of his coffee cup. “She’ll most likely not thank you for it.”
    James shrugged. “I don’t want someone else telling her, in case they upset her.”
    “She’ll be upset, no matter how she’s told.”
    James shrugged. He would do it. He couldn’t explain why he felt so strongly, but it was almost a compulsion. “I’m also worried she might come under another attack.”
    Dervish tapped his lips with his forefinger, watching him with a strange, knowing expression. “You’re sure she can be trusted? You mentioned before you thought she was hiding something?”
    James stared back at him coolly.
    Dervish gave a grunt, and scraped back his chair. “As you like. Do whatever you need to do.”

Chapter Fifteen

    “T he Duke of Wittaker is here to see Miss Hillier.” Lewis sent her a quick look, and she wondered if he was debating whether to tell her aunt this was the duke’s second visit in two days.
    She smiled to herself. Make that the fifth.
    “The Duke of Wittaker?” Phoebe could see her aunt trying to recall what she knew about the duke. “Didn’t I hear…?”
    “Please show him in, Lewis.” Phoebe took control.
    Lewis bowed, slid another look at her and left the room.
    “I’m sure I’ve heard something…”
    Phoebe ignored her aunt and stood. She caught Wittaker’s gaze as he appeared in the doorway.
    He looked grim. All traces of the playfulness she’d seen in him last night were gone. He didn’t look capable of laughter.
    “Miss Hillier.” He bowed to her.
    “Your Grace, allow me to introduce my aunt, Mrs. Patterson.”
    “My lady.” Wittaker bowed to her as well.
    “I had