Star struck
...
Sir Handel and Duncan were bored. There had been nothing fun or exciting going on in the yards for almost two weeks, and the two engines were sick of the absence of drama.
"The yards are far too quiet!" Complained Sir Handel, "The only exciting thing there is to do here is counting sparks from an engine's funnel!"
"Aye," Agreed Duncan. "It'd be nice to hear o' somethin' interestin'."
But apart from their same old jobs, there was nothing that could be regarded as entertaining by the two engines.
Then, the Thin Controller came up to the two engines, looking in a fluster.
"Which one of us is in trouble sir?" Sir Handel asked dully.
"Neither of you- I need your help, actually. Peter Sam has had a problem with his water tank, and I need one of you to go and help him back to the Steamworks for repairs."
Sir Handel huffed. He didn't want to go, but it was far too risky trying to persuade Duncan to take on extra work. "I'll go, sir." He decided grudgingly.
"That's a good engine!" Mr Percival said. "Thank you, Sir Handel- your volunteering is much appreciated." And with that, he hurried away again.
"I hope that silly engine learns a lesson on water tanks after this!" Fumed the little blue engine as he set off to rescue his best friend.
...
When he arrived, he saw that Peter Sam's tank was leaking water and it was impossible for him to make enough steam with him losing water s rapidly.
"Oh dear," Peter Sam lamented.
"It's not your fault, Peter Sam- those schoolchildren had no right to be throwing rocks at the line." His driver comforted.
"Yes- just you wait until the police catch a hold of those rascals!" The fireman added.
"Now we'll be late!" A man shouted.
"I'm terribly sorry Mr Stewart, sir." Peter Sam said apologetically, trying hard not to cry- he was embarrassed and upset over the incident, and he felt even worse that the passengers were late.
"I have to attend a business interview!" A woman yelled. "I've needed this job for goodness knows how long!"
Now, Sir Handel didn't see how close to tears his friend was, and he began chortling away at how some school kids had basically ground Peter Sam to a halt.
"I'm here to help you back to Crovan's Gate!" He called out, trying to stifle his laughter.
"Sir Handel! Thank goodness- I'm glad you're here!" Peter Sam exclaimed, perking up immediately. "I can't move very far or very fast under my own power!"
"Well, that's why I'm here!" Sir Handel reminded him, buffering up to his brother in arms, or as engines would say, brother in buffers, and gently pushed him towards Crovan's Gate.
"Thank you, Sir Handel- where would I be without you?" Peter Sam asked him at the Steamworks.
"Oh, probably here- just with Duncan in my wheels." Sir Handel replied. PEEP! PEEP! "Goodbye Peter Sam! Hope you feel better!"
Peep! "Goodbye Sir Handel- and thank you again for helping me!"
"Don't mention it!"
...
When Sir Handel returned to the Skarloey Railway, he told Duncan about the incident, and the Scottish engine roared with laughter.
"I certainly didnae expect that! He hooted.
"Neither did I. Peter Sam should watch for projectiles in future- I thought he learned that after the slate truck incident!"
They continued laughing, much to the confusion of the other engines, but they shrugged it off as an immature joke, unaware that their poor dear Peter Sam was suffering as an expense of their mischief.
...
Later Duncan had to pick up a passenger train Duncan was bringing in, and he told James about it. The big red engine fell about laughing.
"What a joke! What a joke!" He chortled. "Peter Sam is a laugh!" He told Duncan about what Henry had told him about the incident when he accidentally left the Refreshment Lady behind.
"Aye I agree, he's nae the brightest engine on oor line," Duncan agreed, and James laughed again.
"Well, just wait until I tell Gordon and Henry about this! They'll be very amused! Thank you Duncan- you saved us from boredom!"
"Hey, it was Sir Handel that told me this!"
"Thank you both then." The big engine replied exasperatingly. Then the guard's whistle blew, and James set off, still laughing. Duncan smirked.
...
The next morning, Duncan and Sir Handel were keen to scope out more information about the others to tell to the standard gauge engines, but unfortunately, nothing interesting came up at first.
"Ach, why can't we get something interesting?" Duncan snapped.
But Sir Handel was thinking. "Hey, Duncan, what if we don't have to wait?" He suggested.
"What are you thinking, Sir Handel?" Duncan asked gruffly.
"I'm saying, we make stuff up," Replied the blue engine, calmly. "We tell them things that aren't true, and they'll fall for it."
"I like your way o' thinking," Duncan said approvingly. "Who shall we go for first?"
Sir Handel smiled craftily as he saw Skarloey in the distance, taking on coal and humming to himself. He exchanged a knowing look with Duncan, and the duo conspired on what they should say.
...
By the time Gordon came to drop passengers off, he saw Sir Handel there, smirking. "Oh, not you again." He groaned. After he had given the little engine ill-advice on faking illness, Sir Handel had gone mental with him, and the two hadn't spoken much since.
"Who, me?" Sir Handel asked innocently. "I was just going to ask if you had heard anything...funny, yesterday."
"Why, yes, actually- James told me that you and Duncan provided an amusing anecdote about you Peter Sam. One that cheered us up out of our boredom."
"Yes we did." Sir Handel said, grinning. "And you're just in time to hear more!"
"Oh, do tell, Sir Handel," Gordon encouraged. Sir Handel smiled.
"Well, Skarloey..." And he whispered the rest to Gordon, who chuckled heartily.
"Oh dear oh dear!" He said. "That is disgraceful!"
"I know," Said Sir Handel. "Skarloey's always been like this, though..."
"Oh well- he certainly doesn't deserve his number, that's for sure!" The Express engine continued. "Well, I better go now, Sir Handel- but before I do, I'd like to say you're becoming an engine of fame in the Tidmouth Yards."
And with that, Gordon steamed proudly away, leaving Sir Handel to hurry his train, and then rush to tell Duncan what the big engine had said.
Duncan was thrilled when he heard the news.
"Well, seeing as you've picked an engine to target, I think we'll go for..."
...
All that week, whenever the other narrow gauge engines picked up passengers from Crovan's Gate, they were relentlessly teased.
"Going out with five ladies at once? Shame on you Skarloey- you're disgusting!" James taunted. Poor Skarloey turned bright red and tried to stammer a response through the shock of such an accusation. In the end, there was so much uproar that Rheneas took the train and Skarloey scuttled about with a goods train his brother had supposed to be taking instead.
"Good morning Leaky Tank!" Gordon sang as Peter Sam came in with Ada, Jane, Mabel and Cora. "Did you remember to keep a lookout for naughty children with their stones?"
Cora was shocked. "Leave Peter Sam alone!" She exclaimed, whilst the poor engine felt like crawling into a shed and never coming out again. Some boys going on a Sunday school trip overheard the comment and started taunting Peter Sam too, leaving the miserable green engine to fight back tears as he chuffed away.
...
It wasn't just Skarloey and Peter Sam who had been teased, however. Rheneas had been called 'a miniature James' due to how he had been eager to get a new coat of paint during the time Luke was exonerated. Rheneas couldn't deny the claim, but he was still upset about the insult.
Poor Rusty had had to deal with being called an 'orange lawnmower on rails' due to the sounds of his motor and occasional weed killing job on the line.
But although the others were deeply hurt, they didn't do much about the rumours, hoping that whoever was spreading them would tire of it and move on.
Unfortunately, one afternoon, about a week and a half after it began, Luke shut himself up in the sheds and cried for ages. This caused everyone concern, particularly Rusty and Rheneas. They all tried coaxing him out of the shed, but he didn't budge.
"Alright, we need to get to the bottom of this!" Rheneas decided, and the others agreed.
"But first we should find out about what's wrong with Luke." Skarloey decided, and just as spoke he espied Luke's fireman, Richard Wilson, emerging from the shed, massaging his temple.
"Ah, Mr Wilson, sir! Please, do you know what's made Luke upset?" the little old red engine asked curiously.
"Yes- he and Millie have had an argument. It was a nasty one too," Sighed Richard. "Luke's devastated beyond words."
"What happened?" Peter Sam asked in horror.
"Before I start, do you know they're dating?" Richard asked which caused the other engines bafflement- all except Rusty.
"I knew," He said. "He accidently told me round about the time after he lost his memory saving me."
"Right, well they are dating. Okay, so someone told Spencer that Luke had met an engine at the Transfer Yards called Emily. He said something about her being a pretty engine- it was an innocent comment, and yet an engine told Spencer, as I already said, and then he told Millie about it when he took the Duke and Duchess of Boxford. It all sounded like Luke was cheating on Millie, even though he wouldn't even know the meaning of infidelity. So, basically the way Spencer said it, it sounded like Luke was betraying Millie's trust. She didn't believe it at first, but then- well after he insisted it was the truth they fell out with each other."
Now the others were very sorry for Luke, whose heartbreak was evident through the echoes in the shed.
They all agreed it had gone too far- Skarloey and the coaches managed to get over their rumours enough to be able to work together again, as they were just close friends, but this was something else altogether.
"So what exactly did Luke mean when he told her that?" Peter Sam asked carefully.
"Well, shortly after they got together, Thomas introduced her to his girlfriend Emily and she and Luke get along well as friends- so I've heard. I had the flu the day they met, so I don't know much about it exactly."
"Hm..." Said Skarloey musingly. "So his compliment was taken out of context?"
"Definitely- he just wanted to say she looked lovely seeing as she had had a repaint recently and she looked- well, striking."
"We better go and tell Mr Percival about this." Rusty decided gravely. "I have a feeling I know who's behind this..."
...
"So you believe that Duncan and Sir Handel are responsible for the rumours?" Mr Percival asked his engines sternly that evening at the Sheds.
"Yes sir- it started after Peter Sam's encounter with the boys." Rheneas said gravely. Peter Sam was ashamed.
"I'm sorry everyone, I feel this is all my fault- if I hadn't been so careless this might not have happened."
"Don't blame yourself Peter Sam." Mr Percival told him kindly. "The only engines to blame about all this mess are Sir Handel and Duncan, for being so unkind about your accident."
"Beatrice told me that Duncan had been telling James that Peter Sam was..." Skarloey hesitated, looking at his friend worryingly.
But Peter Sam just looked hurt and yet strangely defiant.
"Go on, Skarloey- the engine I considered my best friend and brother has hurt my feelings and lost my trust- besides, I know it wouldn't be you actually saying what you were to say- I hold too much respect in you to insult a fellow engine."
"I just wish the rest of us could say the same about those two," Skarloey muttered, before looking Mr Percival.
"He said that Peter Sam wasn't the brightest engine on our line." Skarloey managed to force out, looking at their controller.
This act of betrayal caused the poor green engine to sniffle a bit. He knew he said he'd take it, but he hadn't expected it to be that.
"This will not be tolerated- do not fret, engines- I shall deal with Duncan and Sir Handel severely when I get a hold of them."
...
And he did too.
"Telling lies and spreading rumours is not an honourable or kind thing to do." He scolded severely. "Now why did you do it?"
"Well, sir," Quivered Sir Handel "It was just a...a game sir."
"A game should not involve messing with engines' feelings and hurting them. You have caused a great scandal with what you said to Skarloey, you have betrayed the other engines' trust in you, and you have both caused great pain and heartbreak to all involved- particularly Luke and Peter Sam. I hope you are happy with yourselves."
But the two engines said nothing.
"IN which case, you better hope the other engines will be willing to give you another chance." He said severely. "You have caused great disgrace which does not suit this railway at all.
At this remark, Sir Handel remembered his unkindness towards Peter Sam at his accident, and he felt terrible. Duke would not approve of his behaviour at all- plus he had wronged a great engine and a loyal brother and friend who always stuck for him with no second thoughts.
As for Duncan, he also felt horrible for treating his best friend the way he had done, and feared that not even an engine as kind and forgiving as Rusty would let this slide so easily.
And what of Luke, Skarloey and Rheneas? They were all great engines and loyal friends- but they had caused a lot of trouble for them too, especially the first two.
"We're sorry sir." They chorused, but Mr Percival held his hand up.
"No- apologise to them. They are the ones you wronged."
...
SO they did. They both apologised to Skarloey and Rheneas together, Sir Handel apologised to Rusty and Duncan apologised to Peter Sam, before they faced their best friends, quaking at the potential outcome of their actions.
"Peter Sam, I know you're probably still mad at me right now, but I want to say I'm sorry. The words I said about you- well, they were cruel and unneeded. You're my best friend, Peter Sam, and also the little brother I never had- you've been there for me all these years and your loyalty towards me- well I can't do it justice, and I'm sorry that I had acted the way I had. I can understand why you might not want to be friends with me anymore."
Sir Handel looked up at the sky. He had done it now- his friendship with Peter Sam was condemned to be forgotten about- he had ruined a wonderful history together just for the sake of a week or so of fame-
And then he felt a light pressure on his buffers.
Shocked, he jumped, and saw it was...
Peter Sam, with a huge smile on his face- but not his usual cheery goofy smile. This smile just looked more...emotional, but he couldn't describe it.
"I'll forgive you, Sir Handel." He tells him, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears.
"I'll forgive..." Sir Handel repeated in his funnel. He smiled too. He wasn't pardoned yet- but the fact that Peter Sam had been willing to say that had been more than enough to make him determined to do everything to make it up to his friend.
...
After watching Peter Sam's touching willingness to forgive, Rusty did the same for Duncan, and the other engines all agreed on a gradual pardon for their disgraced friends.
"But you must earn back our trust." Skarloey warned. "If you dare do anything to hurt the others again we're cutting ties."
He spoke sharply and Duncan and Sir Handel both felt the fear strike them deep down at the tone in their usually kind leader's voice.
"We understand." They both said in unison.
...
Later, at the Blue Mountain Quarry, Duncan and Sir Handel apologised to Luke for their actions. Owen and Merrick, unfortunately, had heard what the pair had said, and were not happy. But Luke, as hurt and heartbroken as he was, forgave them both for what they had done.
"But why?" Sir Handel asked.
"I know you two wouldn't deliberately try to break me and Millie up like how it had turned out." Luke replied.
"Yeah...we're sorry Luke." Duncan replied earnestly. "We were wrong tae dae that to ye...but we didnae mean tae get ye both split up. Do you want me tae straighten it oot wi' her?" He added.
The Irish engine's answer shocked them both.
"Thank you for your offer, Duncan, but I have to say no. I do want Millie back, yes, but I'd rather not attempt to force her right now. I think I better leave it for a while until things cool down."
Both engines were shocked into silence for the rest of the evening. Skarloey, Rheneas, Peter Sam and Rusty never found out what happened that night.