From Fitzroy's Private Diary (Extract 18)

The use of females for the purposes of spying is frequent, with seduction being the most common practice. This tends to be done by the sort of female one really cannot ask anything else from. It is a great shame as it perpetuates the belief that this is the main purpose of the fairer sex in all affairs. In reality, I have known many women of quick wits, who are calm under pressure and who, having undergone the trials of birth, or merely being equipped for such an endeavour, barely raise an eyebrow at the sort of pain that brings most men to their knees. I have always been of the opinion that, suitably trained, female spies are the equal of their male counterparts. The strengths of the two sexes may differ, but this can form the most unusual and effective of partnerships.

Euphemia was far behind me in training when we partnered up, but she had the benefit of one-to-one training from the best; namely myself. I doubt she was ever quite my equal, she started her training too late on, but during the time we were in the field together she could be quite breath-taking. Now, of course, she tends to concentrate on analysis and training. Quite my own fault. I didn’t want her putting herself at risk while her child was young. Perhaps if her husband had been of a stronger constitution, but then I would have worried constantly about leaving the child motherless, as I myself was.

And so, we come to the biggest challenge facing any female spy; her male comrades. I have always been unfairly over-protective of Euphemia, when the reality is, she has saved my life at least as often as I have saved hers. I nurtured our relationship with great care. Among male spies there is a brotherhood and a bond that is recognised. Any such closeness with a female immediately raises comments of an unsavoury sort, even when the partnership is purely professional. Even today it appears so-called gentlemen cannot remove their minds from the gutter when it comes to the sexes intermingling. Euphemia and I braved it out and held our heads high. It helped that Bertram was ahead of his times in allowing his wife to do as she wished; not that he would have had much choice, even if things had been different. Also, Euphemia was always ready to turn the expectations of others on their heads.

Still, I believe she suffered for it. Her close female friends were always few. Others, who knew her, no doubt talked behind their hands off how often she was away from her husband. Certainly, even in our own department, there were rumours. Conversations that stopped when either of us entered a room - that sort of thing. Other agents never said anything in my presence because they knew I would happily punch them in the face for the insult - and being of superior rank to most of them, I could bloody well get away with it. Euphemia, on the other hand, floored one chap when his comments became a little too raw. Of course, I never heard about such a thing officially, otherwise I would have had to discipline her - and that would have been quite hypocritical of me.