A KYNDLEY GESTURE

Written by Zack Wanzer and James Riddle

Set during Series 6-7

Should you travel up the Ffarquhar branch line, you may encounter a small, wholesome cottage just south of Hackenbeck tunnel. This cottage is home to the Kyndleys, Kitty and Archibald, and every day, whenever they were outside or by a window, they would wave to the engines as they passed by. The engines were fond of the Kyndleys, Thomas and Toby especially, for years ago, Mrs. Kyndley had saved Thomas and his passengers from a landslide days before Christmas.

It was late one Saturday afternoon, and the Kyndleys were preparing for dinner. Mr. Kyndley was reaching for some plates when he suddenly lost his balance. He leaned on one of the wooden supports to steady himself when…

"Oh, that doesn't sound good," he remarked.

"What's wrong, Archibald?" asked Mrs. Kyndley.

"That support just made a creaking noise, Kitty," her husband explained.

"Oh dear…" Mrs. Kyndley looked worried. "This house is rather old. We'd better have it looked over before something worse happens." No sooner had she just said that when the creaking grew louder.

"We'd better get out of here!" cried Mr. Kyndley. He and his wife were just in time, as the support finally gave away, taking some stuff from upstairs with it.

Outside of the cottage, Toby and Henrietta were just coming out of the tunnel when they heard the crashing noise.

"Bless my bell!" exclaimed Toby, braking to a stop. "What's happened in there?"

"It sounds like the Kyndleys have some serious trouble," remarked Henrietta. The couple in question had managed to come out of the front door, and ran down towards the fence.

"Are you two alright?" asked Toby, concerned.

"We are now," panted Mrs. Kyndley. "Part of our cottage has collapsed on the inside, and we can't risk going back inside to use the telephone."

"We'll get help when we reach Maithwaite," promised Toby, setting off again. "Don't worry."

Within minutes, Toby and Henrietta arrived at Maithwaite station where his driver went to telephone for help. Percy was on the other platform with a line of empty trucks.

"What's wrong, Toby?" he asked. "You look like you've witnessed a terrible accident."

"It's Mr. and Mrs. Kyndley," explained Toby, and he told Percy about the collapse.

"Bust my buffers!" exclaimed Percy. "Thank goodness they weren't hurt."

"Indeed," said Henrietta. "I just hope the damage isn't that bad."

But Henrietta was wrong; when some workmen came to inspect the damage, one of them gave the Kyndleys the report.

"That support you were leaning on," he told Mr. Kyndley, "was rotting from water and mold. Probably caused by years' worth of rain and snow."

"How long will it be before we're allowed back inside?" asked Mrs. Kyndley.

"It's hard to say," said the workman. "It could take weeks, possibly months, depending on the severity of the damage."

"Months?!" exclaimed Mr. Kyndley. "But where shall we go in the meantime?" Percy was nearby when the conversation took place, and had an idea.

"Excuse me," he suggested, "but what if you were to live with Dowager Hatt until the cottage was repaired? I'm sure she would appreciate the company."

"Topham's eccentric mother?" Mrs. Kyndley asked; she'd heard quite a few tales about the elderly Hatt, coming to the conclusion that she seemed too much of a thrill-seeker for her age. But on the other hand, she did have room to spare. "I suppose we could give it a shot. What do you say, Archibald?"

"It's better than nothing," her husband reluctantly agreed.

Arrangements were soon put in place. It was Daisy who brought the Kyndleys and their luggage down to Maithwaite where Dowager Hatt was waiting, along with two other elderly women.

"Oh, it'll be splendid having you two staying over for a while!" Dowager Hatt exclaimed as she greeted the Kyndleys. "You don't realize how lonesome it gets with no one else to talk to except a rather cheeky dalmatian."

"And what are we?" one elderly woman asked. "Chopped liver?"

"Oh, I didn't mean any offense," Dowager Hatt corrected. "What I meant to say was that it feels nice to have someone else to live with. Ever since my dear husband died, it hasn't really been the same for me, even with little Gremlin."

"If only we lived a little closer," the second elderly woman remarked. "Maybe you wouldn't feel as lonely."

"Well, you won't be lonely for a while now," assured Mrs. Kyndley. "This will be an interesting chance for us to get to know each other, Mrs. Hatt."

"Oh, no need for the formalities!" chuckled Dowager Hatt. "You're welcome to call me Sharon."

"Alright then, Sharon," smiled Mrs. Kyndley. "And you're free to call me Kitty."

"Why do I have a feeling this may be a bad idea in the end?" Mr. Kyndley asked himself.

Nonetheless, it wasn't long before the Kyndleys were led to where Dowager Hatt lived. Upon entering the house, a certain Dalmatian greeted his owner and her guests.

"Ohoho! Settle down, Gremlin!" chortled Dowager Hatt as the dog tried to pounce at the Kyndleys. "I know you're excited to meet new people, but it's best to let them get comfortable before introducing yourself."

"Gremlin?" asked Mrs. Kyndley. "Oh, he got his name after Gordon had trouble with some on the main line, didn't he? Percy told us about that, in case you're asking."

"Ah, yes, sweet little Percy," chuckled Dowager Hatt. "Reminds me of Bertram's father in many ways…"

"Why, did he wear green too?" asked Mr. Kyndley.

"No, he preferred to wear a red vest," said Dowager Hatt. "Though he was rather cheeky and rambunctious, especially as a young man. That was what led to the two of us having Bertram and Lowham."

"Well, Archibald and I were a bit more patient before deciding to be parents ourselves," said Mrs. Kyndley. "But the wait was well worth it."

"Would anyone care for some tea?" Dowager Hatt offered.

"Well, I am a bit thirsty," admitted Mr. Kyndley. "All that packing's left me peckish."

"Oh, excellent!" said Dowager Hatt. "I'll soon be brewing a batch of elm tea for you; I've heard that the Romanis swear by it."

"What's elm tea made from?" asked Mrs. Kyndley.

"Elm bark!" The Kyndleys looked at one another, perplexed.

"I wonder if the Romanis ever said 'What the blooming heck is this?' when presented with elm tea," muttered Mr. Kyndley. But he was quickly hushed by an elbow jab by his wife.

"It's probably not the most… er, conventional of teas," she insisted, "but it's at least something."

The following morning, the Kyndleys woke up in the guest room from a rather pleasant night's sleep.

"Well, today's our first official day in our temporary lodgings," declared Mrs. Kyndley.

"I'm still a bit dodgy about Sharon's elm tea," said Mr. Kyndley. "Perhaps next time, she'd put a little less wood in it? How can anyone drink it without being awfully sick?"

"It's a mystery for the ages," sighed Mrs. Kyndley. "Perhaps breakfast will be a better change of pace."

"Pasties for breakfast?"

"Oho, yes, Kitty!" beamed Dowager Hatt. "Pasties are made mainly with eggs, milk, and wheat. Thus they serve as a proper balanced breakfast, especially when combined with a tasty pork filling."

"She does have a point," shrugged Mr. Kyndley, taking a bite. Seeing as it was two against one, Mrs. Kyndley joined in and ate as well. She had to admit the pasties were rather tasty.

After breakfast, Mr. Kyndley went into Maithwaite to run some errands. As he got to the station, Toby and Henrietta arrived with some passengers.

"Good morning, Mr. Kyndley," the tram engine greeted. "How's your stay with Dowager Hatt going so far?"

"Ah, hello, Toby, Henrietta," said Mr. Kyndley. "And to answer your question, Toby, it's been… interesting, thus far."

"How interesting?" asked Toby. Mr. Kyndley then explained what he and his wife had been through thus far.

"Oh my," said Henrietta. "I hope Percy didn't give you and Mrs. Kyndley some trouble."

"No, Percy had good intentions, Henrietta," insisted Mr. Kyndley. "I'm just not sure how long I can put up with that woman's antics."

"Would it be okay if I gave you a bit of advice, sir?"

"What is it, Toby?"

"Whatever Dowager Hatt ends up doing," advised Toby, "it's best to not let the negative parts of her actions get the better of you. She never means any genuine harm. From what we all seem to gather, she acts more like an excitable dog in a human's body."

"A bit ironic since she owns a Dalmatian," chuckled Mr. Kyndley. "But I can see where you're getting at, Toby. Perhaps it's best just to stay patient and tolerate her so long as her positive actions outweigh the negative ones." With a wave of goodbye, he set off back to the house.

"How long do you think it'll take for them to be driven bonkers?" teased Henrietta.

"Are you implying that my wisdom is bound to backfire?" joked Toby. "When have I ever steered anyone wrong?"

"You know I'm only teasing, darling," chuckled Henrietta. "I have every bit of confidence that those three will get along just fine."

Meanwhile, Dowager Hatt and Mrs. Kyndley were out doing some shopping along with two of the former's friends, Agatha and Estelle.

"Oh, it's such a lovely day for some shopping," sighed Agatha.

"Couldn't agree more," added Estelle; unlike her friends, she didn't wear a hat. "Perfect weather is good to get proper exercise from." Then they looked over to Mrs. Kyndley. "And how was your first night at Dowager Manor, Kitty?"

"Is that what it's called, Sharon?" asked Mrs. Kyndley.

"Oh, yes indeed," chuckled Dowager Hatt. "Such a fun joke between us."

"Out of curiosity," asked Mrs. Kyndley, "what did all three of you used to do in your younger years?"

"I used to run a rather lovely hat shop in my day," explained Agatha. "Then, as years went on, I had to retire and hand the reins over to my children."

"My husband and I ran a pizzeria until he died of a heart attack," said Estelle. "Since then, I've had to sell the shop to someone else."

"One of my favorite hobbies back in my day was opera singing," said Dowager Hatt. "I used to be quite good at it too. Would you like to hear one of my songs?"

Mrs. Kyndley looked over to Agatha and Estelle; the two were quickly waving their hands while quietly mouthing "no" to her. Clearly, they were not fans of Dowager Hatt's singing.

"Er… no, Sharon," Mrs. Kyndley declined politely. "That won't be necessary."

"Oh, very well," sighed Dowager Hatt. "Perhaps we should get some tea instead."

"Oh, I'd like that," smiled Mrs. Kyndley.

After tea, Dowager Hatt and Mrs. Kyndley returned to the former's home with their shopping. As Dowager Hatt tended to Gremlin, Mr. Kyndley came back in.

"Hello, dear," greeted Mrs. Kyndley. "How was your day today?"

"Rather enjoyable," her husband said. "Had a chat with Toby and Henrietta at the station. How was your shopping?"

"Oh, it was rather lovely," said Mrs. Kyndley. "Sharon introduced me to some of her friends, and we had some nice conversations."

"Somehow, I can't understand it," said Mr. Kyndley. "Everyone we met who knew Dowager Hatt claimed that she was so loopy, she'd drive us bats within the first hour of staying with her. Yet so far, we've been able to stand her rather unusual antics. Why could that be?"

"I wish I knew," said Mrs. Kyndley. "Perhaps it's because instead of judging her solely by what people have said about her, we've been taking the time to get to know her as a person, and learning how to tolerate her rather eccentric antics."

At that moment, Dowager Hatt poked her head back into the room.

"You know what I think?" she asked.

"What is it, Sharon?" replied Mrs. Kyndley.

"I think we should plan something rather fun," suggested Dowager Hatt. "A party, if you'd prefer."

"Well, I guess a party would be fun," Mr. Kyndley decided. "What kind of party did you have in mind? Would we have to sit on the ceiling and drink tea upside down while a living pinata sneezes out candy?"

"Actually, I was thinking along the lines of a garden party, Archibald."

"…oh. Oh, I see…"

"Don't you think there ought to be planning involved?" asked Mrs. Kyndley. "And of course, we'd also have to send out invitations to people who might be interested in participating."

"Oh yes, that would make sense," said Dowager Hatt, leading the two to the garden in the back.

However, they were in for quite a shock when they saw the state of the garden. Most of the plants were either dried up or overgrown, and there were so many weeds, it made the garden look like a miniature jungle.

"Well, er… it's… quite a sight, alright," said Mr. Kyndley, choosing his words carefully.

"When was the last time you tended to it, Sharon?" asked Mrs. Kyndley.

"Oh dear," sighed Dowager Hatt. "I'm afraid I can't remember, Kitty. I can't host a party with the garden in this state! What would everyone else think if they saw it?" She sat down on the bench in dismay.

"Now, there's no need to feel bad," insisted Mrs. Kyndley. "With a little hard work, this garden will look as good as new."

"No, it wouldn't be right," Dowager Hatt insisted. "I couldn't ask my guests to help fix my own messes. We'll have to cancel the party…"

"This simply won't do," Mr. Kyndley said to his wife as Dowager Hatt walked back inside. "We might not be able to tidy up Sharon's garden by ourselves, but perhaps we could enlist some help to do so."

"Are you suggesting we ask Farmer Finney for help?" asked Mrs. Kyndley. "He and Terence could take away weeds and overgrown shrubbery."

"Exactly what I was thinking, Kitty," said Mr. Kyndley. "But Sharon cannot know about this. We'll also need help in keeping her distracted so that she doesn't know what we're doing."

"I can let Agatha and Estelle know about what we're doing," said Mrs. Kyndley. "I'm sure they'll find ways to keep Sharon distracted."

And so, plans were set into motion. The following day, Agatha and Estelle took Dowager Hatt out on the town. While they kept her distracted, Mr. Kyndley called Farmer Finney to bring Terence the tractor out to help tend to the garden.

"Gordon Bennett!" gasped Terence when he saw the garden. "I've tilled fields that were less overgrown than this."

"Tell me about it," Mr. Kyndley remarked, chuckling slightly. "But with a little elbow grease, we'll have this garden shaped into something wonderful."

With that said, he, Farmer Finney and a few farmheads helped out in mowing the grass, pulling up weeds, and trimming shrubbery. Everything trimmed was then raked into piles before filling up plastic bags and then loading them into Terence's cart. It was a long, arduous task, and by the time that they'd finished, it was getting close to dusk.

"Phew!" gasped Mr. Kyndley, mopping his brow. "Just look at all the vegetation we've removed! We wouldn't have cleared nearly half as much without your help, Farmer Finney; big thanks to you and your team."

"Always happy to help," said Farmer Finney, shaking hands with Mr. Kyndley. "You and the missus will have to invite some of us to that garden party once things are done around here. We haven't had much work to do for the winter."

Speaking of whom, when she and Dowager Hatt returned after their day out, Mrs. Kyndley went with her husband to see the current state of the garden.

"Oh my!" she exclaimed. "It looks so much nicer than it did when we first saw it! Farmer Finney and his workers have done wonders helping you out, Archibald."

"They have indeed," agreed Mr. Kyndley. "But we're not done yet in arranging a garden party."

"Won't Sharon be surprised when she sees it," smiled Mrs. Kyndley. There was a pause before she spoke up again. "Come to think of it, we should hold a surprise garden party for her."

"That would be even better," Mr. Kyndley realized. "We should call up some of our friends and let them know."

Several days had passed, and in that time, more work had been done to make the garden look presentable. Amongst those who had shown up for the party included Agatha and Estelle, Jem Cole, Farmer Finney, and even some of Dowager Hatt's family.

"Thank you all for coming on such notice," commended Mr. Kyndley. "This event has been made possible with hard work and determination for a worthy cause."

Mrs. Kyndley peeked into the house and ran back to the party. "She's on her way right now!" she cried. "Everyone, get into your positions!" While everyone got into their hiding spots, Mrs. Kyndley went to greet Dowager Hatt as she entered the house. "Ah, hello, Sharon. Did you have a lovely afternoon?"

"Oh, it went rather swimmingly," beamed Dowager Hatt. "An afternoon tea in the sunlight can do wonders for you."

"Hard to argue with that," agreed Mrs. Kyndley. "Before you settle down, I'd like for you to come out in the back. There's something rather interesting I'd like you to see."

"Something interesting out in the back?" asked Dowager Hatt, perplexed. "Huh! All I'd be seeing out there is lush vegetation."

"Oh, I think you'd be surprised…" Mrs. Kyndley said with a knowing smirk. Curious enough, Dowager Hatt followed her new friend out to the garden. When they arrived outside, she could not believe what she was seeing!

"Oh, my word!" she gasped. "Wh– What's all this?"

"SURPRISE!"

As if on cue, everyone popped out of their hiding spots, revealing the refurbished condition of the garden, all the decorations, and even the food brought out. What a marvelous surprise for Dowager Hatt!

"Do you like it, mother?" asked Sir Topham Hatt. "It was the Kyndleys' idea."

Dowager Hatt looked at the Kyndleys in surprise. "You had a hand in all this?" she asked.

"We had some help from Farmer Finney, Terence and some farmhands," admitted Mr. Kyndley. "But it was definitely worth it in the end."

"Besides," added Mrs. Kyndley, "you were kind enough to let us stay with you while our cottage was being repaired. The least we could do is repay your kindness by helping you out with this jam."

Dowager Hatt could barely speak; instead, she grabbed the Kyndleys and threw her arms around them in a group hug.

"You don't know how much this means to me," she sobbed. "This is perhaps the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me!"

Soon, the party was in full swing. Everyone had a great time there; there were party games for all, and delicious cakes and drinks fresh from the shops.

As night drew near, the guests began making their ways home. The last ones to leave were Sir Topham and Lady Hatt, as well as Stephen and Bridget.

"Oh, and before I forget," said Sir Topham Hatt, turning to the Kyndleys, "I've just heard from the workmen that the repairs to your cottage went by quicker than they expected. That means you'll be able to return home soon."

"Already?" remarked Mrs. Kyndley. "It seemed almost like yesterday when we temporarily moved in with Sharon, doesn't it, Archibald?"

"Indeed it does, Kitty," her husband agreed. "To be honest, I've grown quite fond of her elm tea."

"Oh, I'll miss having your company around too," said Dowager Hatt, "but you're always welcome to come back here anytime you like."

"And you're always welcome to come visit us in Hackenbeck, Sharon," Mrs. Kyndley smiled. Dowager Hatt liked that idea very much.

Nowadays, the Kyndleys often take trips down to Maithwaite to pay Dowager Hatt a visit. And sometimes, she does the same coming up to Hackenbeck. Neither visits are ever dull so long as Dowager Hatt is involved with them, and she couldn't have asked for a better set of new friends to chat with.

THE END

Author's Comments

This was not the easiest of stories to write up as James and I constantly got stuck on where to go next, but hopefully the end result was worth it! I asked Jacob (a.k.a. EndlessWire94) if he was willing to help us out in writing this story, but he declined as he was too busy with things in real life. Still, I have to give him credit for the idea of a story where Dowager Hatt and Mrs. Kyndley are a double act, with the latter putting up with the former's antics. Given the emphasis the human characters got in the Brenner era (plus a name drop Mrs. Kyndley got in The Great Race), I could easily see that happening had the original show not been canceled. We also threw Mr. Kyndley into the mix, at first being unsure of how to put up with Dowager Hatt, but soon growing used to it after a while. Like the previous story, the railways take a back seat, but this time around, we've got Percy and Toby playing small roles, as well as Terence, alongside the human characters. Originally, Percy was going to talk with Mr. Kyndley at Maithwaite, but it was switched to Toby instead, given the tram engine's wisdom. Also, Agatha and Estelle are Dowager Hatt's friends who appeared in episodes such as Stop That Bus!, and have appeared quite a lot in the background in the CGI era since then.

Upcoming stories:

- Mavis and Scarlett - With the workload increasing at Anopha Quarry, Mr. Croarie brings in a new engine to assist Mavis, and she proves to be quite the buffer-full.

- The 70th Between the Lines Story

- Slow Speed Train - Lauren is offended when Pip and Emma make a remark about her living a slow life on the Kirk Ronan branch line, but when the high speed train fails at Kellsthorpe Road, only one engine is close enough to come to their rescue…

- Blind Puffing - While out on a rubbish run, Whiff's glasses break and he has to try and complete his tasks without them. However, he soon runs into trouble with a shipment of bananas at Brendam docks.

- Gordon in a Sulk (adapted from Gordon's Express and In a Sulk) - Gordon ends up in a bad mood following an accident that results in him going to the Steamworks. Meanwhile, Donald and Douglas end up managing the express in his absence.