Thursday 11th September 1808

Dear Diary,
I fear Danielle has made a grave mistake. She paid far too much attention to Father's Todger at breakfast and I suspect she even slipped it a little something when no one was looking, for now it leaps up at her whenever the opportunity arises.
There has been little time, in recent days, for me to contemplate our engagement since my reservations about it on returning from Far Corfe, and yet seeing her again has warmed my heart. I have grown to believe our union could be happy and I know it would make my family happy and yet, it seems, that Danielle is now unsure of a future together. She confided in me earlier, whilst riding upon 'my' Knob, that she felt that Mrs Norris was pressing forward with arrangements in greater haste than she herself wished. I persuaded her to convey her worries to Mrs Norris in person as I felt that her concerns would be appreciated far more from her mouth than mine own. We arrived back at the Grange and had just stabled our horses when she suddenly turned to me and grasped my arm;
"Wayne, I am deeply fond of you and know you to be a great and good man. I can only hope you hold me in the same esteem as I hold you. I believe I know your heart better than anyone for it is a heart close to mine but I fear all is not what it seems. There is something I must confess to you...."
Suddenly Father's Todger appeared around the corner and leapt up at her knocking her backwards.
"Down this instant," I cried. Ned came running at hearing all the commotion, bearing a pitchfork and was just about to assist when Danielle thrust the beast off herself and bellowed, deeply "Enough!" Father's Todger shrank back and slunk away. Ned and I watched open mouthed as she strode into the house rearranging her attire.
It was only before retiring for the night that I was able to catch her alone again. I was keen to hear her confession. She stood in the doorway of her room and fixed me with those sparkling eyes;
"Trust me. All will be revealed and we will be free to follow our hearts," she breathed. "Good night, my love" she smiled and then closed the door upon me.