While she had extended the offer first, Briar hadn't expected for the mistress to give such an invitation. She was welcome in any or all of her hobbies, she said, and again the maid was unsure of how to take the casual kindness.

"Alright," Briar said after a quiet spell, "if you would not mind the company, I would like to join you."

There weren't many things she'd taken interest in on her own, but if Miss Koç found embroidery or scrapbooking interesting enough, there must have been something to them. Briar waited until the other woman had moved away before she wringed the blood from the cloth and wetted it again.

She continued washing at another section of the wall, and said, "no, this will do just fine, miss."