Monday 19th May 1808

Dear Diary,
I awoke with a start this morning to such a banging upon my door. I cannot remember the last time I was awakened so rudely but am sure it must have been by Farmer Clamp's cock. I flung on my robe and hastened to the door to open it and there stood a breathless Ned. I could not put my finger upon it, but there was something different about him.
"Mr Austen, we need to ejaculate the building," he spluttered, " The scullery is ablaze!"
Thick smoke was already drifting into the hallway as we descended and rushed around the back of the house. Father was hurriedly filling a bucket whilst Mother stood by clasping her robe about her in embarrassment of being caught in her nightwear. Father rushed in the open scullery door and a loud hissing sound ensued and he tumbled out again spluttering. Ned had fetched more buckets and between us after some long minutes we managed to quell the flames.
Poor Mrs Crutchlow surveyed her workplace as her tears washed pale pathways down her sooty face. Once the general mess was tidied up the damage was not as bad as it had first appeared. Whilst the mantle was badly charred the range remained intact and in full working order. There would need to be some concerted cleaning and redecoration but all was manageable.
We all set to, for much of the day, even Mother came to help pointing out dirty marks that had been missed. When all was relatively put to rights we retired to rest and I noticed Ned escaping to his shed. It was then that it came to me, the difference in him was his clothing. He was wearing a new sleeveless jacket of a delicate mauve. I approached the shed and opened the door. He was sat in the gloomy interior with his back towards me, obviously working away with his hands. As the light spilled in he guiltily turned and gazed upon me with such a look of shame which I could not fathom. I spoke my mind anyway.
"Nice jerkin, Ned." I said with a smile.