Monday 6th Ocober 1808

Dear Diary,
Last night I had a dream.
I was in a churchyard that was unfamiliar to me and I was wandering aimlessly amongst the headstones. Suddenly a name that I recognised caught my attention. Below an elaborately carved thistle was the name Donald Oswald Tobias-Scott. I then noticed the next headstone bore the name Victor Ashforth and the one after that Theo Fairweather. I looked around in consternation but recognised no other names. I made to escape the place when suddenly the ground beneath my feet began to shake violently and I fell to my knees and watched in horror as a chasm opened in the ground before me. Long tendrils emerged and twisted skyward and I covered my eyes and cowered in fear. At last the shaking stopped and I raised my head and there, overshadowing the three headstones of those men I once knew, stood a tree that had not been there before.
It was a willow.
At the first opportunity I sought an audience with the Abbess and informed her of my desire to leave at once.
"I'm afraid, Mr Austen, that is not possible," she said.
"Not possible?" I asked incredulously, "Upon whose authority?"
"I cannot say." She smiled and looked heavenward.
The word I uttered next wiped that smile from her face. (I will not blemish these pages with it but it rhymes with pollocks.) "You have no right to hold me here against my will. I leave at once!" I blustered.
"Oh, Sister Bernard," she called. The door opened and I gasped at what was revealed. At first glance it appeared to be a bear in a nun's habit and I pinched myself to see if I was still dreaming. I was not.
"Sister Bernard, accompany Mr Austen to his cell please and please ensure he stays there," said the Abbess.
"I did not know men were permitted to hold the sisterhood." I snorted.
"I am no man, " roared Sister Bernard, defensively.
"Then why do you have a moustache?" I replied, cockily.
It was not a wise move.
The Abbess shook her head in sorrow and with the words "God bless" left me to the mercy of Sister Bernard.