Heartwarming / Goodnight, Mr. Tom

• While Tom is a little gruff towards William at the start, he's still kind, and shows immediate concern when he notices that William has bruises and scars all over his back. He only tells William off when he does something that could hurt him or someone else, such as when William tries to attack Sammy with the spade or when he stays out late into the evening when it's getting cold, and is overwhelmingly understanding when he learns that William can't read or write, or when the poor boy wets the bed. Tom quickly begins to see William as a son, and William in turn sees him as the father he never had.
  William: I can ride, Dad!
• Tom ends up travelling all the way to London in order to make sure that William is okay. Tom then proceeds to break down the door of William's house when he's convinced that the boy is in danger, and is proven right when they find a starving and beaten William locked in the cupboard, cradling his dead baby sister. Tom later kidnaps William from the hospital, as the doctors are doing little for William's emotional trauma other than sedating him so he doesn't disturb the other patients. Tom is convinced that William will recover better at home in [] and he does.
  • Sammy whining and pawing at the front door is what leads Tom to believe that William is in there; a crowning moment for Sammy being such an awesome and loyal dog, and for Tom believing in his dog no matter what.