So Bell got up, and opened a passage for the squire's entrance.

It was not often that he came down in this way, and when he did do so it was generally for some purpose which had been expressed before.
"What! fires already ?" said he.

"I never have fires at the other house in the morning till the first of November.

I like to see a spark in the grate after dinner." "I like a fire when I'm cold," said Mrs Dale.

But this was a subject on which the squire and his sister-in-law had differed before, and as Mr Dale had some business in hand, he did not now choose to waste his energy in supporting his own views on the question of fires.
"Bell, my dear," said he, "I want to speak to your mother for a minute or two on a matter of business.