Lewis returns to the village from prison and Gilbert gets him a job with Dicky Carmichael but, outside of the family, Kit and her older sister Tamsin are Lewis's only true friends. They have their own problems as Carmichael is physically violent to them though after Tamsin has told Lewis that many people blame him for his mother's death her father tries to blame Lewis for her facial injuries, resulting in the boy attempting suicide again. Unable to cope Gilbert moves out and Alice, herself feeling an outcast in the village community, gets drunk and has rough sex with Lewis. They are interrupted by Kit, who reveals her father's brutality. As a result Lewis exposes Carmichael to the village and declares his feelings for Kit before leaving to do his National Service and feeling much happier.
—don @ minifie-1