For a moment Philippa was unsteady upon her feet.

Lessingham led her to a chair.

From outside came the low, cautious hooting of the motor horn, calling to its dilatory passenger.
"I can not, of course, explain everything to you," he began, in a tone of unusual restraint, "but I do know that for the last two years your husband has been responsible to the Admiralty for most of the mine fields around your east coast.

To begin with, his stay in Scotland was a sham.

He was most of the time with the fleet and round the coasts.