Wednesday night Dalmuir Hill My dearest Donald I wonder if you are as dull and lonely as your poor pussy is tonight. I thought this day would never pass and I did not look forward to the evening with pleasure as I could not have you beside me. Every time you leave me I feel the separation more than ever. How happy I would be if I could go about with you. I was a little the worse of our parting yesterday. I felt very unwell during the night and I sent to ask the Doctor to come up this morning. I am much better now and I hope I shall be quite well tomorrow. I hope you are in some comfortable house tonight and that your cold is better. I shall be very anxious to hear from you. I trust we are to be as fortunate as usual in having opportunities of writing. Papa has been telling me the whole night to go to bed as I was not well so to please him I must go. It amuses me to see how careful he is of me. He is as bad as you are. I am well off to be petted so much. Goodnight my own darling husband. May God bless and keep you. Thursday night It is a miserable night of rain and wind and I feel quite uneasy with the thought that perhaps my darling husband is not comfortable. I have a large fire in my bedroom but I can enjoy nothing without you beside me. It is really very dull for me love when you are away. You know Papa so often goes to sleep and as I do not like to leave him sitting alone I am all the evening without anyone to speak to and I cannot read as I have so much sewing and so little time to finish it. Mrs Kirton came up today to cut my work for me and Miss Hart came to take away what she promised to do for me. They all laugh at me fretting about you being away but if Mr Park is as affectionate a husband as my Donald Miss Hart will miss him quite as much as I do you. I hope you are not so lazy in the morning as you were at home. I am sorry to say I am no better than I was but it is excusable in me as I have not been well. I must bid you again good night my own Donald. I hope you will sleep well and dream of your pussy. Friday morning Papa has just sent up your letter and my mind has been much relieved by hearing that my dear old plague's cold is better and that you had got as far as Waikanae. I hope you have better weather than we have. It is a miserable south easter today and I can scarcely keep myself warm although I am sitting nearly on the top of a large fire. I am much better today, indeed if you had seen my breakfast you would say my illness the night before last was all sham. So you may feel quite at ease about your pussy's health. I shall take care of myself and make no more bids as you order. Miss Kelly came up yesterday afternoon and she said she would stay with me for a few days next week to help me with some of the little things I am making. I know she is no favourite of yours but really dear she is very obliging. Everyone in the world has faults and if you knew as much as I do. If she has often to suffer you would not feel surprised