In the novel The Pale Horse, Tom is a young man going out with the Curtis girl. Both of them had attended the Much Deeping village fête. During the fête, Miss Curtis had had her fortune told by Sybil. Whatever was said, Miss Curtis then told Tom not to be too sure of himself and not to think he "was the only pebble on the beach". Tom however managed to make a comeback by countering that he would not tell her what his fortune was because she might not like it.