The Highland Falcon Thief Read online

  Lady Lansbury started clapping very slowly and rose out of her seat, stepping towards him. ‘A marvellous story,’ she said, looking unconcerned, ‘but utter nonsense. Why would I steal jewellery when I own more jewels than the Queen herself? I have no need of them. My late husband, the Count of Arundel, was one of the wealthiest men in the country.’

  ‘He might have been once,’ said Hal, ‘but he left you with a mansion to run – and enormous debts. Isaac said something that stuck in my head: Whoever made that fake was an artist. This isn’t the first time you’ve arranged to have glass copies made, is it? How much of your own jewellery have you had to sell and replace with fakes? I suppose that’s where you got the idea.’

  ‘Poppycock!’ Lady Lansbury declared.

  ‘And yet very plausible,’ said Inspector Clyde, getting to her feet.

  ‘Then where is the necklace?’ Lady Lansbury asked triumphantly. ‘Where is the brooch? Where are all these jewels I’ve apparently stolen?’

  ‘Here,’ said Lenny, coming out from her hiding place and holding up the blue suitcase.

  ‘You’re supposed to be in the luggage cage,’ said Inspector Clyde.

  ‘What is that smell?’ asked Baron Essenbach, wrinkling his nose.

  ‘The cleverest and cruellest bit of your plan is how you fooled a team of sniffer dogs. You didn’t just use your dogs to steal the jewels,’ Hal said, feeling the anger rising in his gut, ‘you used them to hide them. After you’d taken Lydia Pickle’s brooch, Terrence wrapped it up in a piece of roast beef and fed it to Viking. You did the same with the necklace – you broke the chain into pieces and fed it to the dogs. That’s why Terrence has been following the dogs around on their toilet breaks, collecting, bagging, and tagging all of their poo.’

  Lenny snapped open the blue suitcase to reveal the squidgy black bags with white labels. A shudder of disgust rippled through the guests.

  ‘Each label says which dog the poo is from. You planned to go through the bags when you got home and dig out everything you stole.’

  ‘Eurgh – that is rank!’ Lydia Pickle pulled a face. ‘I feel sick.’

  ‘But the Atlas Diamond is big,’ Hal said. ‘You fed it to Bailey, and it’s made her ill. Look at her. The diamond is hurting her.’

  ‘Oh no!’ The princess rushed to Bailey and dropped to her knees. The dog looked up at her with a forlorn face.

  ‘Inspector Clyde, if you look through the bags in this suitcase, I’m sure you’ll find the brooch and pieces of the necklace.’ Hal took the open suitcase from Lenny and passed it to the detective. ‘You may even find the Duchess of Kent’s ruby ring.’

  ‘This sounds like a job for Sergeant Prattle,’ said Inspector Clyde, promptly handing the poo over to her unimpressed detective sergeant.

  ‘I’m not sure I want that brooch back now,’ said Lydia Pickle, wrinkling her nose.

  ‘We’re getting it back,’ said Mr Pickle.

  ‘Lady Lansbury and Terrence Lansbury, you are both under arrest,’ said Inspector Clyde, stepping forward. ‘When we reach Paddington, you’ll be taken in for questioning. Until then, you will both be confined to your compartments.’

  ‘I don’t think so.’

  Lady Lansbury grabbed the bottle of Gyastara perfume from Hal and sprayed it into Inspector Clyde’s eyes, then hurled it at the floor, where it smashed. The dogs exploded with energy, barking and jumping on to the Inspector, who crashed into a table, blinded. In the commotion, Lady Lansbury reached up and pulled the emergency brake cord.

  The vacuum brakes in the Highland Falcon slammed shut, and the wheels locked. There was a horrific squealing noise, and a wall of force shoved glasses and crockery off tables, smashing on to the floor. The guests gripped the arms of their chairs. Sergeant Prattle lost his balance, and the suitcase flew forward, bags of poo spinning out in all directions. Steven Pickle roared as a bag hit his forehead, burst, and splattered everywhere.

  Lady Lansbury leaped across the carriage, shoving the princess aside and scooping up Bailey from the floor.

  ‘Stop her!’ Uncle Nat called out, stumbling after her, as Lady Lansbury and the dog vanished into the King Edward Saloon.

  Hal pulled Lenny to her feet, and the three of them struggled forward, bracing themselves against the walls as the carriages juddered and screeched. Through the library and the games room, they pursued the countess, rushing into the observation car as the train finally stopped.

  Lady Lansbury was opening the doors to the veranda.

  ‘Please, Countess!’ Uncle Nat shouted. ‘Give yourself up. You’ve nowhere to go.’

  ‘I’m not going to prison,’ she snapped back, hiking up her skirt and jumping down on to the railway line. She dropped Bailey to the ground and yanked her by the lead.

  Rushing to the veranda, Hal, Lenny and Uncle Nat saw Lady Lansbury picking her way along a parallel track, one arm held out for balance, the other dragging Bailey behind her.

  ‘We’re between Chippenham and Swindon,’ said Uncle Nat, looking at the yellow fields of wheat stretching away from them in every direction. ‘No, Hal.’ Uncle Nat grabbed Hal’s arm to stop him pursuing Lady Lansbury on to the tracks. ‘We’re on the main line. It’s dangerous – trains come along here at more than a hundred miles an hour. Wait for the police – she can’t get far.’

  ‘Up here!’ Lenny was clambering up the white ladder on to the roof. ‘We can see where she goes.’

  Hal looked at his uncle.

  Uncle Nat nodded. ‘I’ll wait here for the police.’

  Hal scrambled up the ladder and followed Lenny as she walked along the central ironwork strip of the observation car roof. With the train stopped, there was no sound but the whispering of the wheat.

  ‘There she is.’ Lenny pointed and jumped over to the roof of the saloon.

  ‘What’s she doing?’ Hal stared at Lady Lansbury, who was two tracks over and had stopped moving.

  ‘Has she got her foot stuck?’ asked Lenny.

  ‘No – it’s Bailey,’ said Hal. ‘Look.’

  Lady Lansbury was tugging furiously at Bailey’s lead. But the dog wouldn’t budge.

  They heard the blast of a train horn in the distance.

  ‘That’s an InterCity 125!’ Lenny cried. ‘It’ll be here any minute!’

  But Hal was already shinning down the ladder between the observation car and the saloon. He dropped to the ground and sprinted out over the ballast.

  ‘Hal, no!’ Lenny shouted.

  He kept running – there was no time to look back. He could see Lady Lansbury struggling with the lead.

  ‘Get off the track!’ he shouted. The rails beneath them were vibrating. ‘There’s a train coming!’

  ‘Come on, you dumb hound!’ shouted Lady Lansbury, tugging on Bailey’s lead. ‘I command you.’

  Bailey looked terrified, lying huddled on her front, braced against the rail, refusing to move as the diesel express raced towards them at high speed. Its horn blared, and Lady Lansbury’s head snapped up, staring the train in the face – but still she didn’t drop the lead.

  ‘LET GO!’ Hal screamed, leaping forward and grabbing Bailey by the collar, hugging the dog to his body as he hurled himself across the rails and into Lady Lansbury, knocking her backwards off her feet. They all toppled over, rolling away from the track as the express rocketed past. A deafening shockwave flattened the long grass beside them.

  ‘Hal?’ He heard his uncle’s voice. ‘Oh dear God, no! Hal!’

  ‘Over here,’ Lady Lansbury said with a voice like vinegar. ‘He’s alive. As am I.’

  Bailey licked Hal’s face, and he drew her in for a hug.

  A line of police sprang from the train. Sergeant Prattle was pushing Terrence Lansbury, who was wearing handcuffs.

  ‘You stupid boy!’ Uncle Nat ran across the tracks. ‘What did you do that for?’ There were tears streaking down his cheeks. ‘I thought I’d lost you.’ He knelt down and hugged Hal.

  ‘She was going to get kille
d,’ Hal said weakly. ‘I thought the police would come.’

  ‘They were waiting for the train to pass.’

  ‘Mother!’ Terrence Lansbury fell to his knees beside Lady Lansbury.

  She put her hand to his cheek. Two police officers helped the countess to her feet and cuffed her. Terrence looked over at Hal.

  ‘Thank you. You saved my mother’s life. I know you think we’re nothing but thieves, but she’s my mum, and she’s always tried to do her best for us.’

  As the other guests stared out through the windows of the dining car, Hal found himself being wrapped in a blanket. Inspector Clyde gathered Bailey carefully in her arms, and Uncle Nat insisted on carrying Hal back to their compartment, where a police officer talked to him about shock.

  The Highland Falcon began to move again, chuffing towards Paddington on the last stretch of her final journey.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  NEXT STOP

  Enormous crowds were gathered under the high arches of Paddington station to welcome the Highland Falcon. Hal stepped out of the dining car on to the red carpet, his yellow anorak on, his rucksack on his back. Only four days had passed since he’d climbed aboard, but the Highland Falcon felt like an old friend, and he was sad to say goodbye. Uncle Nat stood beside him, umbrella over his arm and suitcase in his hand.

  Lenny leaped down from the footplate, running along the platform towards him. ‘Dad wants to speak to you!’ she shouted.

  Mohanjit Singh appeared through a cloud of steam, no longer in handcuffs. The train driver walked towards them. ‘Harrison Beck.’ He shook Hal’s hand. ‘I’ll never be able to thank you enough for what you’ve done for me and my daughter. You’ll always be welcome in my house, and on the footplate of any locomotive I drive.’ He looked Hal in the eye. ‘But if I ever, ever hear of you climbing on top of a train running at fifty miles an hour, I will—’

  ‘I beg your pardon?’ Uncle Nat looked startled.

  ‘Ha, ha – he’s joking.’ Hal looked at Lenny’s dad with pleading eyes. ‘Aren’t you, Mr Singh?’

  Lenny’s dad patted Hal’s shoulder. ‘A little joke, Mr Bradshaw.’

  ‘Good.’ Uncle Nat put his hand over his heart. ‘Bev would never speak to me again.’

  ‘We want you to come and stay when Dad starts his new job,’ Lenny said, bouncing up and down. ‘He’s going to teach us how to drive the engine.’

  There was a roar from the crowd as the prince stepped off the train. He held out his hand for the princess, and she appeared, waving to the cheering crowd.

  ‘Harrison Beck and Marlene Singh.’ The prince beckoned them over.

  Uncle Nat gave them a little shove.

  Lenny grabbed Hal’s hand as they approached the prince and princess.

  ‘Thanks to your friendship, bravery and powers of deduction, the Atlas Diamond will soon be safely back with the crown jewels.’ The prince smiled again. ‘The Duchess of Kent will be rewarding you for catching the notorious jewel thief who stole her ruby ring …’

  ‘We get the reward?’ Lenny squealed.

  The prince nodded. ‘But I want to thank you personally.’ He put his hand in his jacket pocket and pulled out a shining silver whistle. ‘This railway whistle once belonged to my father.’ The prince flipped over the whistle, and Hal saw it was engraved with the words The Highland Falcon. The prince held it out. ‘I want you to have it.’

  ‘Thank you, sir … Your Highness, Royalness, Prince, sir,’ Lenny babbled, as she reached out and took the whistle.

  ‘Take good care of it,’ the prince said.

  ‘Is this the same whistle that … I mean … Ernest White told us a story about your dad accidentally …’ Hal spluttered.

  The prince nodded. ‘My great-grandmother never forgave him.’

  ‘Aren’t you sad that the Highland Falcon’s going to a museum?’ Hal asked, looking past the prince at the claret locomotive.

  ‘Everyone can enjoy her in the museum, Harrison.’ The prince said. ‘You can visit her any time you like.’

  The princess bent down, kissing Lenny and then Hal on the cheek. There were flashes as people took pictures. ‘If there’s anything we can do for you,’ she said, ‘you must ask.’

  ‘I do want to know one thing,’ Hal said. ‘What will happen to Lady Lansbury’s dogs?’

  ‘You mustn’t worry.’ The princess said. ‘I’m going to take care of them.’

  ‘But, I was wondering … If my parents let me, do you think I’d be allowed to give Bailey a home?’

  ‘I’m sure Bailey would love that.’ The princess nodded. ‘First the royal vet will examine the dogs,’ she continued. ‘We’re a little worried about what they have in their tummies. But once they’ve been given a clean bill of health, we’ll be in touch with you.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Hal beamed and then bowed, unsure of the proper way to thank a royal person.

  ‘Goodbye,’ the prince and princess said in unison. Then they smiled, joined hands, and walked towards the cheering crowds and television cameras.

  Lenny stared down at the whistle in her hand. ‘We’ll share it. You have it for six months, and then I’ll have it for six months. That way we have to see each other. Deal?’

  ‘Deal,’ said Hal. ‘But you take it first, because I’m getting Bailey.’ His eyes flickered across the crowd. ‘If Dad says yes.’

  ‘C’mon, Hal,’ Uncle Nat called. ‘Your mum’ll be looking for you.’

  ‘Bye, then,’ Lenny said.

  Hal nodded and waved as she walked away. ‘See you soon.’

  He spotted his mother’s face shining like a beacon in the crowd, and he ran towards her.

  ‘Hal!’ His mum grabbed him over the rope cordon, pulling him into a warm hug. ‘Oh, I’ve missed you, petal. Have you grown again?’ she chided. ‘You’ve only been gone four days.’

  ‘Sorry.’ Hal smiled, enjoying his mum’s fussing.

  ‘I’ve got someone for you to meet,’ she said, turning around. ‘Colin?’

  Hal’s dad stepped forward, holding a tiny baby wrapped in a white blanket.

  ‘This is Ellie,’ his dad said, passing her to Hal, ‘your little sister. Fold your arms a bit – make sure to support her head. That’s it.’

  Ellie was warm and smelt like milk and talcum powder. Her eyes were closed, and her mouth was moving in a slow whimper. As Hal looked down at his little sister, all the noise of the busy station faded away.

  ‘Hi, Ellie,’ he whispered. ‘I’m your big brother. I’m going to take care of you and teach you all about steam trains.’

  ‘Journey all right, Nathaniel?’ his dad asked.

  ‘It was an adventure,’ said Uncle Nat. ‘I think it will make a great book.’

  ‘I hope he wasn’t any bother,’ his mum added.

  ‘Quite the opposite.’ Uncle Nat ruffled Hal’s hair. ‘I’d be happy to take him any time.’

  ‘Really?’ Hal’s head shot up. ‘When?’

  ‘I’ve been asked to take a trip on the California Comet across America.’ There was a twinkle in Uncle Nat’s eyes. ‘Fancy it?’

  Hal grinned. ‘You bet.’

  A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORS

  Dear Reader

  We have tried to be faithful and accurate in our depiction of the United Kingdom’s railways in The Highland Falcon Thief. However, we must admit to having taken one or two liberties for the sake of a good story. We hope you will forgive us our deviations from the truth, which we confess in full here:

  Aberdeen to Ballater

  Sadly, you can no longer take a train from Aberdeen to Ballater to visit the Queen at Balmoral – though you can walk most of the way on a path called the Deeside Way where the track used to be. The Deeside Line was closed to passengers in 1966. A small portion of it runs today as a heritage line called the Royal Deeside Railway. Ballater station is still there but is now a museum.

  With the exception of the Deeside Line, it is possible to travel most of the Highland Falcon’s journey you
rself. Sam worked out the route – including the sticky bit at Inverness – by modelling it with BRIO with the help of his mum and dad on their living-room carpet. There are places the train would need to turn around that we haven’t described in detail because we didn’t want to slow down the story.

  The Water Trough

  There are no longer water troughs on the East Coast Main Line. The line is now electrified. The troughs disappeared long ago, but we thought they were an amazing part of travelling by steam train. We put one in this story so that Hal could witness something marvellous on the footplate.

  The Highland Falcon

  The Highland Falcon only exists in this story. We chose an A4 Pacific as the locomotive to pull the royal train because it has a distinctive streamlined shape and was designed (by Sir Nigel Gresley) for speed. The most famous A4 Pacific is called Mallard, which holds the world record for the fastest steam locomotive.

  Many A4 Pacific locomotives were named after birds. We decided to name the Highland Falcon after the peregrine falcon, which can be found in the Scottish Highlands, because they are one of the fastest animals on the planet, able to dive at speeds of 200 mph – quicker than the fastest steam train.

  Our locomotive may be fictional, but there has been a royal train of carriages since 1842, during the reign of Queen Victoria, and in 1961 an A4 Pacific pulled the royal train, when the royal family attended the wedding of the Duke of Kent at York Minster.

  Find out more …

  If you would like to learn more about trains, we recommend a trip to the York Railway Museum. You can step on to the footplate of the Mallard, a real A4 Pacific, and see royal carriages. It’s where Maya fell in love with trains.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS