Wednesday 29th October 1808

Dear Diary,
I'll find a brand new heart in it,
In old New York.
I was up early after very little sleep and was eager to be off but had to remain in a state if intense agitation for the arrival of Woody. When he finally appeared it was Miss Dixon who delayed our departure with some fussing over her petticoats. Finally we departed and oh, how my heart was racing. Woody had arranged a carriage to convey us to Greenwich but it was not upto the standard I am used to. My eyes darted about as we neared our destination in the hope my eyes might chance upon the face I longed to see, but no that joy was not to be. We dismounted on the corner of Christopher St and Bleecker. There was some fellow standing upon the corner shouting about the right to marry and he wore a placard denouncing 'Prop 8'. He approached me and holding out some paper asked me to sign his petition for marriage equality for same sex couples.
"Are you for it?" he enquired.
"Indeed I am," I replied, " just as soon as I get my hands upon the one who has stolen my heart. My friends shall sign it too." They hesitated.
"Shall you not?" I asked aghast. They signed forthwith.
Woody led the way through a door and up a narrow staircase and we found ourselves standing before a closed door. Miss Dixon held a kerchief to her nostrils for the aroma thereabouts was hardly pleasant. My heart was in great palpitation and I felt in danger of swooning.
Woody rapped upon the door and I held my breath in anticipation. Seconds, that felt like minutes, passed and then it slowly slipped open.
The face that peered out was not one I recognised.
"We are looking for a Mr Woofter," I gabbled, "We believe he has a room here."
A baby began to cry in the room beyond the door and the woman, we gazed upon, glanced behind her then turned back to us.
"Ees gone. Ee left dis morning," She made to shut the door, but I stuck out my hand and held it back.
"Gone!" I gasped. "Where has he gone?"
She shrugged, pushed away my arm and shut the door as my hopes began to fade once more.
I could hardly breathe. Woody helped me back to the street and I leaned against the wall as he and Miss Dixon fussed about me.
"What ails you, Sir?" It was the fellow with the placard.
Miss Dixon briefly told him of our predicament.
"Oh, I know 'im. He were a gentleman."
"D'ya know where he's gone?" asked Woody.
"Aye," said the fellow, "back 'ome."
"Back home?" I found my voice, "Where is his home?"
"England, o'course." He said.
We stood there in a stunned silence and then the fellow spoke again.
"It were that over there," he said pointing across the street, "it haunted 'im he said and in the end, he decided it were a 'sign' telling him to go 'ome."
"It is a sign," said Woody.
" I know that......Doh!" The fellow was exasperated.
"But look what it says," gasped Miss Dixon.
There across the street was the sign above a doorway, and it read.....
" W. Austen."