 Gladstone resigned as Prime Minister in 1885 following a Government defeat over the Irish home rule question . The new Tory government was led by Lord Salisbury . However , as a minority administration it was not expected to last , and a swift return of the former administration was anticipated . During this period serious ( if unproven ) charges of plotting and ruthless ambition were about to be levelled against Lady Rosebery . Sir Charles Dilke , considered as a likely replacement for Gladstone , and thus a rival to Rosebery in government , was implicated in one of the most scandalous and ruinous divorce cases of the era . Involvement in any divorce was social suicide in the 19th century , but the facts which emerged were enough to ensure it was political suicide as well . A friend of the Roseberys , Donald Crawford , MP , sued his wife Virginia for divorce naming Dilke as co @-@ respondent . There was little evidence and Dilke denied the charge , which could have been ultimately forgotten , if Virginia had not suddenly decided to sign a confession giving such lurid details that a great scandal was unavoidable . She claimed that not only had Dilke slept with her and taught her " French vices " , but also slept with her mother and partaken in a three @-@ in @-@ a @-@ bed orgy with Virginia and a maid . Dilke denied everything , but his hopes of high political office were ruined forever . Dilke claimed the whole thing was an embroidery of lies and conspiracies by his political enemies . Rumours began to circulate that the Roseberys , and Lady Rosebery in particular , were at the bottom of Dilke 's misfortune . In his futile quest to exonerate himself , and grasping at rumour , Dilke wrote to Rosebery accusing Lady Rosebery of having paid Virginia to make the confession . An outraged Rosebery denied all on his wife 's behalf , while in December 1885 Lady Rosebery 's only response on being told of Virginia Crawford 's confessions was : " Dilke 's behaviour is very astonishing in some reports , though it is not an actual surprise to me . " Early the following year Gladstone was returned to power and Rosebery was appointed Foreign Secretary in Gladstone 's third but brief term of office . Dilke 's political career was ruined , and for years afterwards he continued to expound the Rosebery conspiracy theory . Nothing was ever proven against Lady Rosebery and no tangible evidence exists to substantiate the claim . 
 Gladstone resigned as Prime Minister in 1885 following a Government defeat over the Irish home rule question . The new Tory government was led by Lord Salisbury . However , as <a href='None' title='1'><mark>a</mark></a>minority <a href='negative_concord' title='2'><mark>administration</mark></a> it was not expected to last , and a swift return of the former administration was anticipated . During this period serious ( if unproven ) charges of plotting and ruthless ambition <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> about to be levelled against Lady Rosebery . Sir Charles Dilke , considered as a likely replacement for Gladstone , and thus a rival to Rosebery in government , was implicated in one of the most scandalous and ruinous divorce cases of the era . Involvement in any divorce was social suicide in the 19th century , but the facts which emerged <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> enough to ensure it was political suicide as well . A friend of the Roseberys , Donald Crawford , MP , sued his wife Virginia for divorce naming Dilke as co @-@ respondent . <a href='dey_it' title='5'><mark>There</mark></a> was little evidence and Dilke denied the charge , which could <a href='been_done' title='6'><mark>have</mark></a> been ultimately forgotten , if Virginia <a href='been_done' title='7'><mark>had</mark></a> not suddenly decided to sign a confession giving such lurid details that a great scandal was unavoidable . She claimed that not only had Dilke slept with her and taught her " French vices " , but also slept with her mother and partaken in a three @-@ in @-@ a @-@ bed orgy with Virginia and a maid . Dilke denied everything , but his hopes of high political office <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>were</mark></a> ruined forever . Dilke claimed the whole thing was an embroidery of lies and conspiracies by his political enemies . Rumours began to circulate that the Roseberys , and Lady Rosebery in particular , <a href='uninflect' title='9'><mark>were</mark></a> at the bottom of Dilke <a href='null_genetive' title='10'><mark>'s</mark></a>misfortune . In his futile quest to exonerate himself , and grasping at rumour , Dilke wrote to Rosebery accusing Lady Rosebery of <a href='been_done' title='11'><mark>having</mark></a> paid Virginia to make the confession . An outraged Rosebery denied all on his wife <a href='null_genetive' title='12'><mark>'s</mark></a>behalf , while in December 1885 Lady Rosebery <a href='null_genetive' title='13'><mark>'s</mark></a>only response on being told of Virginia Crawford <a href='null_genetive' title='14'><mark>'s</mark></a>confessions was : " Dilke <a href='null_genetive' title='15'><mark>'s</mark></a>behaviour is very astonishing in some reports , though it <a href='negative_concord' title='16'><mark>is</mark></a> <a href='negative_concord' title='17'><mark>not</mark></a>an actual surprise to me . " Early the following year Gladstone was returned to power and Rosebery was appointed Foreign Secretary in Gladstone <a href='null_genetive' title='18'><mark>'s</mark></a>third but brief term of office . Dilke <a href='null_genetive' title='19'><mark>'s</mark></a>political career was ruined , and for years afterwards he continued to expound the Rosebery conspiracy theory . <a href='None' title='20'><mark>Nothing</mark></a> was ever proven against Lady Rosebery and no tangible evidence <a href='uninflect' title='21'><mark>exists</mark></a> to substantiate the claim . 
Gladstone resigned as Prime Minister in 1885 following a Government defeat ova the Irish home rule question . The new Tory government was led by Lord Salisbury . However , as minority no administration it was not expected to last , and a swift return of da former administration was anticipated . During this period serious ( if unproven ) charges of plotting and ruthless ambition was finna be levelled against Lady Rosebery . Sir Charles Dilke , considered as a likely replacement fa Gladstone , and thus a rival to Rosebery in government , was implicated in one of tdamost scandalous and ruinous divorce cases of the era . Involvement in any divorce was social suicide in thda9th century , but the facts which emerged was enough to ensure it was political suicide as well . A friend of thedaseberys , Donald Crawford , MP , sued his wife Virginia for divorce naming Dilke as co @-@ respondent . It was lil evidence and Dilke denied the charge , which could done been ultimately forgotten , if Virginia done not suddenly decided to sign a confession giving such lurid details that a great scandal was unavoidable . She claimed that not only had Dilke slept with her and taught her " French vices " , but also slept witt her mother and partaken in a three @-@ in @-@ a @-@ bed orgy w/ Virginia and a maid . Dilke denied everything , but his hopes of high political office was ruined forever . Dilke claimed the whole thing was an embroidery of lies and conspiracies by his political enemies . Rumours began to circulate dat the Roseberys , and Lady Rosebery in particular , was at the bottom of Dilke  misfortune . In his futile quest to exonerate himself , and grasping at rumour , Dilke wrote to Rosebery accusing Lady Rosebery of done paid Virginia to make the confession . An outraged Rosebery denied alll on his wife  behalf , while in December 1885 Lady Rosebery  only response on bein tld of Virginia Crawford  confessions was : " Dilke  behaviour is very astonishing in some reports , doe it ain't an actual surprise to me . " Early the following year Gladstone was returned to power and Rosebery was appointed Foreign Secretary in Gladstone  third but brief term of office . Dilke  political career was ruined , and for years afterwards he continued to expound the daebery conspiracy theory . Don't nothing was eva proven against Lady Rosebery and no tangible evidence exist to substantiate the claim .