Much as you dislike it, your heroine is in the stocks. The plural form refers to the top and bottom pieces of wood that are latched or locked together to entrap her.

Scissors/shears and pants/slacks/trousers are the same. Pants used to be made seperately for each leg, then tied together when worn. My mother owns a set of shears that comes apart so that one shear can be exchanged for a straight or rippled cut.