His bed of petticoats is awaiting his kilt, and here it comes in Miss Tavistock’s hands. It looks no different from traditional kilts except that it’s got pink in it, until she opens it out and he sees how narrow it is at its waistband but how wide it is in its pleats. She has something in white silk over her arm too.

“I see your son wearing this, Missus Stewart,” she says. “The little girl Kutie-Kilt suits your kind of boy, especially since it is worn with silk bloomers in padded silk-satin with lace at the knees.”