Sort of red spy embraced by mother (7)
I believe the answer is:
magenta
'sort of red' is the definition.
(I know that magenta is a type of purplish red)
'spy embraced by mother' is the wordplay.
'spy' becomes 'agent' (secret agent).
'embraced by' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'mother' becomes 'ma' (ma can mean mother).
'agent' inserted inside 'ma' is 'MAGENTA'.
(Other definitions for magenta that I've seen before include "A crimson dye" , "Light mauvish-crimson" , "puce" , "this might be an ink" , "Reddish-purple colour" .)