23 Oct 1943, W J Carrie's wartime diary

Another letter No27 of 13/12/42 arrived a few days ago - it's lovely to get them, old though they are.  Frank looked in last night and said he had one from you too. I must go up this evening and see it. My Christmas present was blankets you tell me - I have saved our blankets - about the only thing I could save - because I was using them.  You envy the Macleods being all together - you and I Darling could have gone through this together though I'd have hated seeing you hungry and emaciated - you would certainly got thin here! - but it would have been a tragedy if Joy and Ian had been here at their ages.  Think of the waste of time. As it is the Macleod children are suffering - Callum is now really a "problem" child and the children have had many extras in food etc that would have been saved many of the older men and women. Wait until you hear Dora's story - you'll be thankful that you didn't get back to H.K.  I worried all 1942, not knowing where in the wide world you might be but when I heard you were all home in Edinburgh, with Joy and Ian I am able to "get on" normally an unspeakable weight of anxiety was removed. I really do think we'll all be together soon and then we can make plans for the future.

All my love always Billie.

You were "collecting" whisky for me too - fancy I've been TT for nearly 2 years now! - and I'm sure it has done me good but I feel that a little of the old stuff would put me right again quicker than anything.