“But that’s my only jumper!” he says as it gradually disappears before his eyes. Alice remains silent as she stands wrapped in a towel by the fire. She’s clearly just as petrified of their domineering host as Billy is but Alice knows that Mrs Postlethwaite doesn’t despise her in the same way as she does the boy. Alice felt sorry for Billy as he watches in baffled bemusement from the tepid bathtub. “What am I going to wear now!” he whines as Mrs Postlethwaite rips the buttons from his off-white shirt and tells him that it’s far too tatty.

“One of Alice’s dresses will do for the time being,” she suggests.