The spy sat on the sofa in Lady Faine’s drawing room and completely mangled the embroidery she was attempting to sew on the white linen handkerchief.

Outside the long drawing room windows, the late spring sunlight was almost garish as it drowned out the colors of the rose garden. Insects created lazy patterns as they flew among the bushes, and only occasionally did they hear the chirping of birds.

Miss Lena Penrose floundered at her embroidery, but she was rescued by Lady Faine, sitting across from her.

“My dear Miss Penrose,” Lady Faine said with a bright smile, “I perceive that you have made a mistake in your embroidery. Would you like me to fix it for you?”

“I would be ever so grateful if you would.” Lena was so grateful she practically flung the mess of embroidery silks at her hostess, only then noticing that she had two needles strung on two different colors of silk.

Lady Faine looked down at the handkerchief and hesitated. Then she plucked her shiny scissors from her work basket and began ruthlessly cutting threads until it looked like a colorful bird’s nest.

Lena felt rather sorry for the handkerchief.

— From Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 7: Spinster