Three years later the young Laird Macadam, being ordered with his regiment for America, got leave from the king to come and see his lady mother before his departure.  But it was not to see her only.  He arrived at a late hour unwarned, lest his mother would send Kate out of the way; but no sooner did her ladyship behold his face than she kindled upon both him and Kate, and ordered them out of her sight and house.  The young folk had discretion.  Kate went home to her mother, and the laird came to the manse and begged us to take him in.

He asked me to perform the ceremony, as he was resolved to marry Kate.  We stepped over to Mrs. Malcolm’s house, where we found the saintly woman with Kate and Erne and Willie, preparing to read their Bible for the night.  After speaking to Mrs. Malcolm for a time, she consented to the marriage.  It was sanctified by me before we left Mrs. Malcolm’s, the young couple setting off in the laird’s chaise to Glasgow, and authorising me to break the matter to Lady Macadam.  I was spared this performance, for the servants jealoused what had been done, and told her ladyship.  When I entered the room she was like a mad woman in Bedlam.  She sent her coachman on horseback to overtake them, which he did at Kilmarnock, and they returned in the morning, when her ladyship was as cagey and meikle taken up with them as if they had gotten her full consent and privilege from the first.  Captain Macadam afterwards bought a house at the Braehead, and gave it, with a judicious income, to Mrs. Malcolm, telling her it was not becoming that she should any longer be dependent upon her own industry.  For this the young man got a name like a sweet odour in all the country-side.

It will be remembered that Charlie Malcolm went a-sailing in a tobacco-trader to America.  When his ship was lying in the harbour of Virginia, a press-gang, that was in need of men for the Avenger, man-of-war, came on board and pressed poor Charles.  I wrote to Lord Eglesham anent the matter, and his lordship’s brother being connected with the Admiralty, the captain of the man-of-war was instructed to make a midshipman of Charles.  This was done, and Mrs. Malcolm heard from time to time from her son, saying that he had found a friend in the captain, that was just a father to him.

In the latter end of 1776, the man-of-war, with Charles Malcolm in her, came to the Tail of the Bank at Greenock, and Charles got leave from his captain to come and see his mother.  He brought with him Mr. Howard, another midshipman, the son of a great Parliament man in London.  They were dressed in their fine gold-laced garbs.  When Charles had seen his mother and his sister, Effie, he came with his friend to see me at the manse, and got Mrs. Balwhidder to ask his friend to sleep there.  In short, we had a ploy the whole two days they stayed with us, Lady Macadam made for them at a ball, and it was a delight to see how old and young of all degrees made much of Charles.