Page 25 of The Elusive Phoebe (The Widows of Lavender Cottage #1)

Archie met her gaze steadily. "I've spent the last several years building a business in India, which required navigating complex political situations and protecting valuable assets.

I've dealt with threats ranging from business rivals to political revolutionaries.

I'm not trained as your people are, but I'm not helpless either. "

"Assets," Thomas repeated with slight disdain. "Is that how you see Lady Smalling?"

"I see Lady Smalling as the most important person in my world," Archie replied quietly. "Someone I would die to protect, not because of what she owns or what she represents, but because of who she is."

The simple sincerity in his voice seemed to surprise the assembled servants. Mrs. Crawford's expression softened slightly.

"And your intentions toward our lady?" Mary spoke for the first time, her voice crisp and direct.

"To keep her safe and support her choices, whatever they may be."

"Even if those choices don't include you?" Mrs. Crawford asked shrewdly.

Archie's smile was rueful. "Especially if they don't include me. "

Phoebe felt her heart clench at his words. She cleared her throat. "I think it's time I was completely honest with all of you. About the situation, about the threats we're facing, and about how grateful I am to each of you."

Over the next hour, Phoebe laid out everything: Robert's spy work, the remaining threats from both Irish revolutionaries and English traitors, the Widows' deception campaign, and her own plans to eventually visit her inherited estates.

"I know you've already risked a great deal serving my husband," she concluded. "I won't ask you to take additional risks for me unless you choose to. But I want you to know that your loyalty means more to me than I can express."

Mrs. Crawford was quiet for a long moment. "My lady, we didn't serve Lord Smalling just out of duty. We served him because he was a good man trying to protect innocent people. If you're carrying on his work in your own way, then you have our complete loyalty."

"Not just loyalty," Thomas added gruffly. "Affection. You've been kind to people who had no reason to expect kindness from their master's wife. That matters."

Mary nodded. "We've heard from the northern estate staff how you treated them—with respect and gratitude, even when you thought they were your jailers. That tells us everything we need to know about your character."

Phoebe felt tears prick her eyes. "Thank you. All of you."

"As for Lord Lytton," Mrs. Crawford turned to Archie, "we'll be watching. Not because we doubt Lady Smalling's judgment, but because protecting her is our job. If you prove trustworthy, you'll find no better allies. If you prove otherwise..." She let the threat hang unspoken.

"Understood," Archie said seriously. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

Thomas stood and offered a formal bow. "Then welcome to Lady Smalling's household, my lord. We'll do our best to work together to keep our lady safe."

As the servants filed out to settle into their quarters and begin organizing the household, Phoebe found herself alone with Archie again.

"They're protective of you," he observed.

"They're good people who've already sacrificed a great deal." Phoebe moved to the window, watching her new household staff efficiently unloading their belongings. "I'm grateful they're willing to accept you."

"Provisionally accept me," Archie corrected with a smile. "I suspect I'll be under observation for quite some time."

"Probably." Phoebe turned to face him. "Does that bother you?"

"Not at all. I respect their caution." His expression grew serious. "Phoebe, about what I said earlier, about you being the most important person in my world..."

"Archie, don't." Phoebe held up a hand. "Please. I can't... I'm not ready for declarations like that."

"I know. But I needed them to understand that my feelings for you aren't casual or convenient. They needed to know that protecting you isn't just a duty for me—it's personal."

"And now they know."

"Now they know." He moved toward the door. "I should let you get settled with your new household. Mrs. Crawford will want to establish routines, and I imagine you have questions about how everything will work."

"Where are you going?"

"Just to the village inn. I thought it might be better if I gave you some space to adjust to having a full household again."

Phoebe felt a sudden stab of panic at the thought of him leaving. "You don't have to go. There's room here, and..."

"And?"

"And I've gotten used to having you around," she admitted quietly. "These past few days, it's been... nice. Like when we were children, but different. Better, in some ways."

Archie's smile was soft and warm. "I've gotten used to it too. To making you breakfast and fixing your shutters and just... being part of your daily life."

"Then stay. Mrs. Crawford can prepare a proper guest room, and you can continue being useful and good company."

"Just useful and good company?"

Phoebe felt herself smile despite her best efforts to remain serious. "Don't push your luck, Lord Lytton."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Lady Smalling."

As evening fell over Lavender Cottage, Phoebe found herself sitting by the fire while the sounds of her newly organized household settled around her.

Mrs. Crawford had efficiently arranged everything, the other servants had integrated seamlessly into the cottage's rhythms, and Archie had been given a proper guest room with strict instructions from Thomas about "appropriate behavior under Lady Smalling's roof. "

For the first time since learning the truth about her inheritance, Phoebe felt truly safe. Not just physically protected, but surrounded by people who cared about her well-being and respected her choices.

It was, she thought as she watched Archie reading by the lamplight while Mrs. Crawford quietly mended some linens nearby, almost like having a real family.

The thought should have terrified her—this was exactly the kind of domestic contentment that could lead to dangerous feelings and impossible hopes.

Instead, she found herself relaxing into the warmth of it, allowing herself to enjoy the simple pleasure of being cared for by people she was learning to trust.

Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new decisions about her future, and continued vigilance against the threats that still lurked beyond Somerset's borders.

But tonight, she was safe, surrounded by loyalty and friendship, and perhaps—just perhaps—allowing herself to imagine what happiness might look like.

"Phoebe?" Archie's voice drew her from her thoughts .

"Mm?"

"Thank you for asking me to stay."

"Thank you for wanting to."

And as the fire settled into glowing embers and the cottage grew quiet around them, Phoebe found herself thinking that this—this sense of belonging, of being valued and protected not for what she owned but for who she was—might be the most precious inheritance Robert had left her after all.

But even as she savored the peace of the moment, she knew it couldn't last forever.

Soon, she would need to begin the dangerous journey to discover what Robert had truly left for her.

And when that time came, she would need these good people to help her maintain the illusion that Lady Smalling was still safely hidden in Somerset.

"Tomorrow," she said quietly, "we need to discuss the plan."

Archie looked up from his book. "The estate visits?"

"Everything. The deception we'll need to maintain here, the risks we'll be taking, and how to keep everyone safe while we're gone."

Mrs. Crawford glanced up from her mending. "Gone, my lady?"

"I'm afraid so. Let’s discuss it tomorrow with everyone. There are things I need to discover at my other properties—things that can only be found in person. But the world must continue to believe I'm safely tucked away here in Somerset."

"Then we'll make sure that's exactly what they believe," Mrs. Crawford said firmly. "Whatever you need us to do." She studied Phoebe for a moment. “You’ll be taking Thomas, I presume.”

She nodded. “I’d like to, and Mary.”

“Excellent.”

She expected more of an objection to her leaving. But everyone seemed to agree that figuring out what Lord Smalling had left for her was a priority.

As Phoebe settled into sleep that night, she felt the weight of tomorrow's plans settling around her. The time for hiding was almost over. Soon, she would have to step out into the world and claim what was rightfully hers.

But she wouldn't be doing it alone.