Wednesday 9th July 1808

Dear Diary,
Such a strange night back in my own chamber and my own bed. It did not feel right and I could not settle down for a long time. Ned shook me awake this morning.
"Mr Austen, wake up! You have fallen out of bed!"
For a moment, seeing him there, bending over me, I was back on the mountain and then I came to my senses.
"No, Ned, I slept on the floor," I replied, sleepily, "for I found my bed too soft."
He smiled.
"You are a natural camper," and reached out a hand and helped me up.
The sheet covering me slipped down and caught upon 'something' halfway down my body that was protruding from my nightshirt. I grabbed at it in embarrassment but Ned had already noticed and left barely able to walk from laughing.
He must have told Mrs Crutchlow, back from her sisters, for my breakfast sausage and eggs were arranged upon my plate in an unsavoury way.
Throughout the day he has been unable to look at me without laughing and walked passed the parlour window, this afternoon, carrying a log in a suggestive manner.
Later I spent sometime alone in the library. Eventually the door opened and he looked in. He just smiled at me and I at him then he left. He was just seeing where I was.
He'd missed me.