Analyze the passage from Philippa Pearce’s Tom’s Midnight Garden and discuss this ending.

‘You must certainly bring him to visit me,’ said Mrs. Bartholomew, firmly. ‘Will you be sure to tell Peter that I shall be expecting him?’ Tom promised. He found that, after all, he was looking forward eagerly to going home. There would be the warmth of that homecoming; and, when the welcomes were over, he would draw Peter aside into the little back-garden and whisper: ‘Peter, I’ve the secret of the other garden to tell you, and I’ve an invitation for you from Hatty.’ Meanwhile, Tom must really say good-bye to Mrs. Bartholomew now, or he would be late for lunch and for going home. Already Aunt Gwen was anxiously looking out for him, on the floor below. From the front door of Mrs. Bartholomew’s flat, Tom saw her on the watch; and Mrs. Bartholomew saw her too. ‘Good-bye, Mrs. Bartholomew,’ said Tom, shaking hands with stiff politeness; ‘and thank you very much for having me.’ ‘I shall look forward to our meeting again,’ said Mrs. Bartholomew, equally primly. Tom went slowly down the attic stairs. Then, at the bottom, he hesitated: he turned impulsively and ran up again - two at a time - to where Hatty Bartholomew still stood... Afterwards, Aunt Gwen tried to describe to her husband that second parting between them. ‘He ran up to her, and they hugged each other as if they had known each other for years and years, instead of only having met for the first time this morning. There was something else, too, Alan, although I know you'll say it sounds even more absurd...Of course, Mrs. Bartholomew’s such a shrunken little old woman, she's hardly bigger than Tom; anyway: but, you know, he put his arms right round her and he hugged her good-bye as if she were a little girl.’

Tom’s Midnight Garden Last Chapter