July 8th [1754]
Monday 12 at night

My Dearest Life I am quite disgruntled with your last, because when I have been feeding up my self all this time with the certainty (barring sickness) of seeing you the week after next, at [?] behold you talk of staying till sometime in August, which must be very uncertain too, for as my Br[other] Mac will No Doubt be very backward to leave Lady Betty, its a great chance how long he may continue at Wentworth Castle; but the very last you wrote me, you said he was expected at Edin[burgh] the twentieth of this month, & what has come in the way Now to make you look for him later; indeed I cant but say My Dearest it vexes me greatly, I thought it was no little resolution in me at our first parting (in a Manner) to have patience so long, but I shall lose all the merit that has gained me, if you prolong yr Stay in this disagreeable unlook’d for way; Indeed my dearest Jewel I must own to you my heart does not go along with that expedition of yours to Lord Ruthvens at all, in the first place Sir Robert and Lady Mary will think you might (if in Perthshire) stay a day or two longer in order to see them, & then what adds to its inexpediency, in my eyes, is the sea you have to cross, which ever way you go, And ’tis most probable you’ll chuse the longest, which to me ’tis a most painful disagreeable thought, & the more so, that I received just now a letter from My dr Lady Jane from Carnarvon, telling me they went by Sea from Chester to that Town for the convenience of it & ease to the Children, but that they had all very near have perish’d which she says has given her a thorough disgust to the sea, as Im sure I have, for ’tis like Death is in the thought of going, or having you My Darling Moitié upon it, so really My Dearest I should be vastly glad if you would put off yr going to Perthshire till we make out that [?] together; tomorrow we go to Rosedue [sic], I shall be longer of going to Halkhead than I thought of since you have alter’d yr time of coming west; I had a most disagreeable dream of poor Ld Strichan to’ther night I wish all may be well with him; not a word yet of Lady Banff which surprises us , Miss Betty is gone to day to Tamouth [sic], & the Old Captain set out for Edin[burgh]; our dr Little folks are well as can be wish’d; archie will quite forget Papa if you stay so long away; Miss Semple is of my opinion that a man & wife can not be very fond of one another if not uneasy in absence, & thinks one can never have enough of a Persons Company that they love, which is precisely my way of thinking too; God almighty bless you My dear sweet Life & grant us a speedy and happy meeting adieu My Dearest
GC
PS When Mr Kerr is at Leisure
I expect more franks

If you go to Perthshire my Dr the Queens ferry road will detain you less time than ’tother, but if you go by Kingorn [sic] I beg you’ll remember to have the boat well man’d, for they say their hands have been much complain’d of, of late; another thing Ive to beg is that youll remember I had twice like to been lost with taking Goales for expedition, tis too broad a passage to venture with such small boats on such an uncertain Element; but I wish of all things you would delay going tis an immense way to go, 50 or 60 miles for one day.