Good Night, Mr. Tom

The weekend before school starts, Will and his friends set out to explore Spooky Cott. Will and Zach go together, while George, Carrie, and Ginnie go another way. Will and Zach hear a hooting signal, and Will sounds the signal to approach the cottage. When the boys hear a strange high-pitched noise, Zach feels nauseated, thinking of the times he has joked about ghosts. Will sounds the signal that they’re all right. The boys receive a signal back suggesting that they flee. Will, contemptuously, signals that they should go closer. George signals that his group is leaving. Will says that the high-pitched noise sounds like Tom’s organ playing and asks whether Zach is all right to continue. Though terrified, Zach agrees.

Will and Zach approach the cottage, and Will points out that the door is open and music is playing inside. Zach hides in the grass, but Will, entranced by the music, walks closer. A man’s voice calls out from the cottage, inviting the boys in—causing Zach to shriek. A young man, missing an ear and a leg, walks with a crutch to the door. He apologizes for frightening the boys and asks Will whether he likes music. Will nods, saying that he lives with Tom, who plays the organ. When the young man asks whether Will is “local,” Will explains that he’s an evacuee from Deptford. Grimly, the young man explains that he used to live in London but no longer has cause to return. Will asks whether he’s from the grange hospital, and he says yes, introducing himself as Geoffrey Sanderton.

Will and Zach introduce themselves. When wind shakes the trees, Geoffrey looks up at the stormy sky, comments that it’s too dark inside for him to paint, and offers the boys tea and food. Will agrees, but Zach stays outside. In the cottage, Will sees a room largely bare except for drawings and an easel. When Will asks whether Geoffrey is a painter, he says he had his first exhibit just before he was drafted.

Will asks whether Geoffrey fought at Dunkirk, Geoffrey says yes. Will exclaims that Geoffrey is “lucky” to have kept his arms. Geoffrey, scowling, thinks not: his fiancée, parents, and two best friends were killed in the same bombing that took his leg and ear. Will explains that at least Geoffrey can still draw. Geoffrey asks whether Will draws. When Will says yes, Geoffrey hands him a pencil and asks for a demonstration. When Will tries to demur, Zach comes to the doorway and says that Will’s an excellent artist.  Will, flushing, goes outside to draw.

After Will finishes his drawing, he shows it to Geoffrey. Geoffrey asks how old Will is. When Will says that he will turn 10 the following week, Geoffrey says that he’s really talented and asks who teaches him. Will and Zach explain that their school doesn’t have enough teachers, with Mrs. Hartridge on maternity leave. After a pause, Geoffrey—feeling unexpectedly happy—says he’ll look into becoming a teacher. He also offers to teach Will on his own. Will, almost bursting with joy, agrees. Zach exclaims “Wizzo!” and predicts that he and Will will be “famous together.” Will says that he doesn’t want to be famous, just to draw and paint excellently.

As it gets dark, Geoffrey, Zach, and Will make a fire, and Geoffrey puts the Brahms violin concerto he was playing earlier on the gramophone. Zach mocks himself for having been frightened of it, and the boys explain the stories of Spooky Cott to Geoffrey. Geoffrey is interested to learn why no one has come to the cottage, though he was glad to be left in peace—he felt that he “needed” it, though he’s now ready to interact with people again. They listen to the concerto again. Then Will and Zach leave.

Walking home, Will and Zach spot a car parked by the church. When Will enters Tom’s cottage, he sees not only Tom but also the Deptford warden, a police officer, and a strange woman and man. The Deptford warden is surprised to see how strong and healthy Will looks. The woman explains that they have come with news about Mrs. Beech. Anxiously, Will asks whether his mother wants him back. When the woman says no, he smiles—but then the woman says that Mrs. Beech has died by suicide. Will, shocked, asks why. The woman says that maybe Mrs. Beech no longer wanted to live. Will can’t understand that, thinking of “things to live for,” like the sea, books, art, and music.

The woman explains that she’s from a Sussex orphanage, and the police officer says that the orphanage would take Will. Will says that he wouldn’t go. The warden tries to tell Will he doesn’t have a choice, as Tom kidnapped him, but Will retorts that you kidnap people for ransom—and the only person who might ransom Will if he were kidnapped is Tom himself. Therefore, Tom saved him—he didn’t kidnap him.

The authorities in the room start discussing what to do with Will while Will and Tom stand staring at each other. After a while, the police officer suggests that Will go to his room while the adults make a final decision. Will announces that even if the authorities imprison him, he’ll find a way to run back to Tom’s. Then he flees to his bedroom, where he brainstorms places he could hide that the authorities wouldn’t find him. He settles on Lucy’s and is about to sneak away when the warden and the police officer come down the hall. While Will is thinking furiously that he lost his chance, Tom calls him down.

Downstairs, Tom gives Will condolences for Mrs. Beech. When Will asks whether Mrs. Beech “did it” because of him and Trudy, Tom says that Mrs. Beech was mentally ill and unable to “cope.” Will asks what will happen to him, and Tom announces that he’ll adopt Will, explaining that Will has no relatives and that the quiet man who came with the other authorities was a psychiatrist who recognized that Tom’s home was good for Will. The others agreed, so now they’re getting the paperwork to make Will Tom’s son. When Will asks whether that means Tom will be his father, Tom says yes—and then they both cry out happily and hug in celebration while Sammy barks excitedly.