Yet, under God's mercy I did, my voice emotionless, my face white from restraint, my lips dry as with fever.

The one thing I was sure about just then was that we must break away from this personal conversation; flesh and blood could stand the strain no longer.
"Let's not talk of ourselves then," I said, releasing her hands, "but of what we must face here.

We trust each other; that is enough for the present surely.

You will not leave, and let me ferret out the mystery alone, so we must work together in its solution.

I have told you that Coombs claims to be working under the orders of your husband.