At the very moment he cried out, David realised that what he had run into was only the Christmas tree. Disgusted with himself at such cowardice, he spat a needle from his mouth, stepped back from the tree and listened. There were no sounds of any movement upstairs: no shouts, no sleepy grumbles, only a gentle tinkle from the decorations as the tree had recovered from the collision.

All multiple kingdoms are composite monarchies, but not all composite monarchies are multiple kingdoms.

[…] Oscar has been called the Voldemort of Fleet Street by both friends and enemies. He was apparently ruthless in all his business dealings.'

It is, therefore, quite believable that many of these secret agents were as blunderful and tactless as any ill-bred son of the soil could be...