To make it all complete a ground-floor room had been fitted up as a surgery, with an independent outer door, to which Fitzpiers's brass plate was screwed--for mere ornament, such a sign being quite superfluous where everybody knew the latitude and longitude of his neighbors for miles round.
Melbury and his wife welcomed the twain with affection, and all the house with deference.

They went up to explore their rooms, that opened from a passage on the left hand of the staircase, the entrance to which could be shut off on the landing by a door that Melbury had hung for the purpose.

A friendly fire was burning in the grate, although it was not cold.

Fitzpiers said it was too soon for any sort of meal, they only having dined shortly before leaving Sherton-Abbas.

He would walk across to his old lodging, to learn how his locum tenens had got on in his absence.
In leaving Melbury's door he looked back at the house.