As Alice undressed and expected to be de-laced from her corset, she quickly realized what the padlock and chain were for.
“When I was your age I hated having to sleep in my corset…” Mrs Postlethwaite told the girl. “…so I snook a pair of scissors from my mother’s sewing box and cut the laces. My mother whipped me the first time. The second time I was whipped again and went a whole day without food. It didn’t happen a third time because I wore a chain, and although that didn’t stop me from trying to remove it, it did stop me from succeeding.” she explained. “If you’re wise Alice, which I think you are… you’ll leave your corset well alone and avoid the additional pain that I endured.” Alice donned her new nightie and politely told Mrs Postlethwaite how pretty it felt before climbing into bed.