In these chapters, Phoebe wrestles with her new environment and her huge responsibility. By showing how Phoebe overcomes her fear and homesickness, the story adds to its theme of Developing Courage Through Responsibility. When she first arrives at Mortier House, Phoebe feels strange and frightened: “As soon as the door closed, Phoebe sank down on the cot. Already she missed the Queen’s Head and her father. If she were home now, she’d be helping him ready the tables for dinner” (20). Phoebe’s homesickness creates another layer of fear and loneliness she must overcome to do her job. However, the sight of her home lifts her spirits, helping her recommit herself to her selfless mission. The author writes that the tavern “stood out like a flag, almost like a signal! And suddenly, Phoebe did not seem so hopeless. She wasn’t so far from home after all” (21). The simile comparing her home to a “flag” or “signal” links Phoebe’s circumstances to the broader military situation and thus underscores how she is building the courage and determination to carry out her role as a spy.

Phoebe’s recurring thoughts about her home and family also suggest that her main loyalty lies not with the Patriot cause but with her father, adding to the theme of Loyalty and Sacrifice During Times of Conflict. She revisits their conversation in her mind, becoming more determined to succeed: “His words came back to her: ‘I only want you to try, Daughter’” (21). Still, her love for her father does not make her task any easier, and as her mission becomes more urgent, Phoebe is overcome with anxiety. As she prepares dinner, her mind is “whirling,” and she feels “frightened” and “worried,” wondering if she will be shot while trying to save Washington’s life. These descriptions of her inner thoughts show the pains Phoebe is privately facing while pretending to be a regular housekeeper. Her earnest efforts show her loyalty to her father and, through him, General Washington, as she sacrifices the familiarity of her home and her peace of mind to perform a difficult and dangerous job.

This connects to the story’s theme on The Overlooked Heroism of Ordinary People. Griffin portrays Phoebe as a capable spy who can act discreetly and keep secrets, even in times of crisis. As a servant who subtly listens in on others’ conversations, Phoebe does not attract any attention from those in Mortier House. In particular, a description of Phoebe as “silent as a shadow” echoes the simile earlier associated with Sam, showing how Phoebe is successfully following in her father’s footsteps as a hero hiding in plain sight: “The house was full of people all the time—officers of the army, friends, members of the bodyguard. Phoebe slipped among them, silent as a shadow, as her father had taught her” (24). Her meetings with her father are also easily disguised as daily business, as Phoebe meets him at the waterfront with her market basket. The author highlights how no one suspects young Phoebe of sharing important information about Washington’s household, writing, “No one took any notice of her, in her clean white apron and cap, a shawl thrown across her shoulders” (27). These descriptions deepen Griffin’s characterization of Phoebe as a brave girl whose intelligence is overlooked by those around her because she is young, female, Black, and working class.

The climax and denouement reinforce that it is precisely these qualities that allow Phoebe to succeed. It is telling that Phoebe consistently expects the assassination attempt to take the form of a shooting, as this matches her perception of the war itself as a matter of overt, dramatic violence. Similarly, she suspects Mr. Green of being the assassin because he conforms to her idea of what an assassin should be: hostile. Instead, the attempt is notably domestic—a poisoned dish—and perpetrated by someone who seems nonthreatening and even friendly. As a housekeeper, Phoebe is uniquely positioned to notice this subtler form of violence, which the novel suggests is as pivotal to the war effort as more visible heroics.