Chapter 99: Danger Points
Douglas soon reached the Culdee Fell Railway at Kirk Machan. Once the engine was back on the rails, they thanked Douglas who left with a toot of the whistle. The men then turned and looked the engine over.
"A very good job," they said at last. The manager came up to see Culdee.
"It's good to have you back, Culdee," he said, "We'll need you with the Summer season starting up soon."
"It's good to be back, sir. I'm longing to see Catherine. Is she in the yard?"
"Yes, it's her day off. Go on, I'm sure she'd love to see you."
So Culdee went off to the common house. Catherine was in the kitchen making lunch. Culdee decided to sneak into the kitchen.
"Hello, love."
Catherine nearly jumped out of her skin, but quickly rushed into her husband's arms.
"Culdee! Oh, I've missed you. It's been miserable here without you."
"It's okay, dear. Why don't we go on a picnic and you can tell me all about it?"
And so, they packed a lunch and went on a hike up Culdee Fell.
"It's been dreadful lately. While your engine was being mended, the manager hired three more employees and bought three more engines. I've had to work with one of them. His name is Lord Harry. He takes risks and frightens me, but when I warn him he laughs. I feel sorry for poor Patricia, she's been assigned to work with him now."
"Don't worry, Catherine. It'll all be better now."
"Oh, I am glad to see you again Culdee."
"Me too, love. Me too."
That evening, Culdee met with two of his old friends, Ernest and Wilfred.
"Well, if it isn't Culdee. Aren't you a sight for old eyes."
"Good to see you again too, Ernest."
After catching up, Culdee decided to speak what was on his mind.
"Who is Lord Harry."
"He's one of the new hires," said Wilfred, "Son of a wealthy land owner. He's an utter terror, worse than Godred ever was."
"Agreed. Godred may have been reckless, but never insulted us intentionally. Lord Harry looks down on all of us, and thinks this job is beneath him. The only reason he's even working here is because his father made him earn his inheritance."
"Oh my. He sounds like an outright horror. Are the other two as bad?"
"Fortunately, no. Alaric and Eric are nice quite engines, and you'd get along with them splendidly. But that Lord Harry is a nightmare to deal with.
The next morning, Culdee was at the station store buying some tea and pastries for him and Catherine when he heard a loud screeching noise. An engine bearing the number six came grinding into the station at an alarming pace. Once it had stopped, the passengers swarmed out, all complaining about what a bad railway it was. A large, gruff looking man stepped out.
"Stupid passengers," he grumbled, "They're all scared of riding with me."
"I suppose you're Lord Harry, then."
Lord Harry turned to Culdee and scoffed.
"And I suppose you're Culdee, then. You got something to say?"
"You're too reckless, that's why."
"Oh, please. My engine can go twice the speed of yours in perfect safety."
"Even so, we don't take risks on Mountain Railways."
"There's no risk at all. With my engine's super heat design, this slope is nothing."
"Super heat, is it? I would've said it was conceit myself."
Culdee wisely left, leaving Lord Harry fuming and spluttering.
Later that day, Lord Harry was taking a train up the mountain, racing at dangerous speeds.
"Slow down, Harry," said Patricia, his firewoman, "We're going too fast."
"That's Lord Harry, to you," snapped Lord Harry, "And this is a perfectly good speed. Besides, I like things to be exciting."
Every wise Mountain Engine driver knows that you do not take risks. The points must be taken slowly, for from there the rack rail can have no guards. Lord Harry could care less, though. He was too busy thinking about what he would say to Culdee the next time they met.
"There's no danger," he boasted as they climbed the final slope, "Silly old Culdee doesn't know what he's talking about."
Culdee and Catherine were enjoying their evening when the telephone rang in the shed.
"Lord Harry is off at summit," sighed the manager, "We shall have to go and set things right."
They collected some workmen and the tool van and set off. The sun was setting when they arrived. Lord Harry's shape loomed against the sky. The engine had derailed at the points and blocked both roads at the station. Wilfred was there, unable to start his journey down. The passengers swarmed around Lord Harry, complaining and moaning. Lord Harry felt harassed.
While the manager tried to calm down the passengers, Culdee saw a chance for a joke.
"Wilfred," he called, "Who is this old chap?"
"That's Lord Harry, didn't you know."
"It looks like Lord Harry, but it couldn't be him."
"Why ever not?"
"Because Lord Harry's engine can go twice the speed of ours in perfect safety."
The firewoman laughed, while Lord Harry seethed in anger.
Later that night, the manager spoke to Lord Harry at the sheds.
"It was the engine, sir. It wouldn't respond to my controls, and-"
"I don't want to hear it. It was your fault, and you know it. You damaged the engine and upset our passengers by taking risks. We cannot have that on our mountain railway. Henceforth, you are on cleaning duty until further notice. Perhaps working from the bottom up will teach you some humility."
"Couldn't have said it myself, Walter."
Lord Harry shuddered in fear. There, standing at the entrance, was Lord Harry Barrane Sr., his father."
"Father, I can explain. I-"
"Shut up! I have heard about your behavior from you manager, the passengers, and your colleagues, and I am appalled to have raise such a spoiled brat. Your attitude reflects poorly on your family, and I cannot stand to look at you. Until you shape up, you can consider yourself out of this family."
"But father-"
"No, don't even try to talk your way out of it. You've had this coming for a long time. You have no right to call me father. In the game of life, Harry, you lose. You. Get. Nothing. Good Day, sir!"
"But-"
"I SAID GOOD DAY! (RIP Gene Wilder. Your legacy shall never be forgotten)
With that, Lord Harry Barrane Sr. stormed out, leaving his former son in shock. This time, he knew he had really messed up.