Yes, he wrote "the girl" and he also wrote "must meet wife". I can only speak for myself but I don't feel that style as cold; I even feel it as affectionate.

Remember that Queen Victoria's Scottish lover, John Brown, used to call her "woman" when they were visiting some friends in the country side (they used to go there, the 2 of them, on a horse carriage/sleigh - How romantic! Could not be done today. I am so sorry that he died 18 years before her): all that to say those Brits express their affection in different ways than we do.