His little arms struggle to keep the two big cases off the ground but he tries his best. When they finally enter the house, he puts the cases down and his unburdened arms almost float upwards. Mrs Postlethwaite stands the children in the hallway and barks, “Right… let’s have a look at you both!” The children stand silent and still as the woman looks them up and down. She shakes her head and frowns, “A red head and an urchin wasn’t exactly what I envisaged.” she moaned before asking the children what they’d brought with them.
Billy listed two pairs of socks, two pairs of underpants two vest, a pair of trousers, a jumper, and his gas mask. Alice listed far more items of clothing which explains why her case was so much heavier than Billy’s. She looks down on Billy and says, “You boy… take Alice’s case to her room.”
“Yes Miss…Ma’am.” Billy meekly replied. She directs him upstairs to the first room on the left and berates him for being clumsy as he bundles the bulky case up the narrow steps.