2 December 1850 Dalmuir Hill My dear Mr McLean I was delighted to receive your letter by the mail and also the one which Mr Hickson brought me on Saturday night. I am glad to hear that you are not to be detained much longer at Manawatu for the sooner you go to the East Coast the sooner you will be back to me. I expected that we would have been at Waikanae and back by this time. I am very much disappointed that we did not go. I told you in my letter by last mail that we were to start on Tuesday last but Papa found that it would be impossible if we want to get back in time for the Court so we were obliged to give up all thoughts of going. It is a great pity for Mama appeared very much disappointed. I know that the trip would have done her a great deal of good. We should as you say have gone sooner but it was not our fault. We had no wish to remain for the ball. Mrs Hickson had made up her mind to stay so we could not help it. You ask me why I did not enjoy the ball. I think I told you in my former letter that I had a most severe headache and besides only four days before the ball you went away and it was impossible I could be in very good spirits. I hope dear that I shall hear from you while you are at the East Coast. The time you are away will appear so long if I do not however I shall not make up my mind to receive a letter lest I should be disappointed. You say that my last letter was short. I had not time to write a longer one for I thought that we were going the next day up the coast and I required to be at Mrs Hickson's by 8 o'clock. I must ask you again dear to forgive me for writing a short letter. Miss Redish is staying with me for a few days. When I got up to write she was asleep but as it is near seven I am afraid she will waken and if she were to come into the room and find me writing she would suspect who the letter is to. Goodbye dearest. May every blessing attend you and believe me to remain Ever your affectionate Susan D Strang My letter is full of mistakes but you must excuse it dear for I wrote in a great hurry. I forgot to say that Mama sends her kindest regards.