“You see, we've fallen head over heels in love with...”
Why it's great
It confesses a crush on a house, exactly the wrong thing to say while bargaining.
Register
Informal
Use it yourself
We've fallen head over heels in love with this flat.
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00:00 / 02:39
The Fitzgeralds Try to Buy Windward, Explained
The Uninvited · 1944
Chapter 2 of 28 · 2'39"
The Fitzgeralds arrive at Commander Beech's house hoping to buy Windward House, but they play it cool: "We're just mildly interested". Beech is not fooled, and Stella, the granddaughter, quietly wants the house kept in the family.
Key moments
Start here, then watch the full scene- 1:20–1:44
The Fitzgeralds Fall for Windward
23s
The Fitzgeralds Try to Buy Windward, explained
What happens
Roderick and Pamela Fitzgerald call at Commander Beech's home to ask about buying Windward House, the empty house on the cliff. They meet Stella Meredith, the commander's granddaughter, and try to seem only casually interested. When Beech refuses even to discuss it, Stella pleads with him to keep her mother's house.
What's really going on
The scene is a negotiation disguised as a social call. Roderick coaches his sister before they go in — "no signs of keenness" — and once inside they keep repeating how mildly interested they are, which is exactly how people behave when they are not mild at all. The real feeling leaks out when Roderick says they have "fallen head over heels in love" with the place. Against them stands Commander Beech, who will not sell because he cannot bear what the house means to his granddaughter Stella, who calls it "my mother's house". The old man's verdict — "there's really no point in your waiting" — closes the door on both the sale and the girl's plea.
Key lines & what they mean
- “You see, we've fallen head over heels in love with...”
- Roderick admits the couple's real feeling: they are not casually interested, they are completely smitten with the house.
- “I thought I made myself quite clear on this point, Stella.”
- Beech shuts down his granddaughter, insisting he has already explained why Windward must be sold.
- “I'm Stella Meredith. Won't you sit down?”
- Stella introduces herself to the visitors and, politely, invites them to stay.
- “Grandfather had a cigar blown straight down his throat once when he was on the foredeck.”
- A rambling family anecdote explaining why the house is strictly un-smoking; it charms the guests while showing the household's quirks.
Theme
- Money — The Fitzgeralds want a house they cannot afford, and Beech refuses to sell at any price.
- Family conflict — Stella pleads to keep her mother's house while her grandfather insists it must go.
What this chapter teaches
Teaching points
Review right after watchingMy level2/6
A1–C2 is the CEFR scale. Cards above the level you pick fade, and playback will not auto-pause on them.
Language points
Click a card to jump to its moment in the videoGolden lines
A great line in its own right — why and how to use it“I thought I made myself quite clear on this point, Stella.”
Why it's great
It repeats an earlier ruling without raising its voice, which makes it harder to argue with.
Register
Formal
Use it yourself
I thought I made myself clear about the deadline.
“I'm Stella Meredith. Won't you sit down?”
Why it's great
She names herself and offers a seat in one breath, polite and slightly guarded.
Register
Formal
Use it yourself
I'm Anna. Won't you come in?
“Grandfather had a cigar blown straight down his throat once when he was on the foredeck.”
Why it's great
A bizarre family anecdote explains a house rule, mixing politeness with odd humor.
Register
Informal
Use it yourself
My uncle fell off a pier once when he was on holiday.
Up next · 03bring the price downThe scene: The Fitzgeralds Buy a Haunted HouseTakeaways
What you walk away with- Manners are a strategy in this house call.
- One slipped idiom tells the seller too much.
- The grandfather ends the discussion in a sentence.
- Stella's refusal hides a deeper attachment.
People also search
Questions, then the linesWhy do the Fitzgeralds play it cool about the house?
They want it badly but do not want the owner to know. Showing eagerness would weaken their bargaining position, so they repeat that they are only mildly interested.
Why does Commander Beech refuse to discuss Windward with Stella?
Stella wants to keep the house because it belonged to her mother. Beech has decided it must be sold, and he treats her plea as a settled matter rather than something to reopen.
What does "head over heels in love" mean here?
It is an expression for being completely smitten. Roderick uses it about a house rather than a person, which makes his sudden passion sound both sincere and a little absurd.
What is the house called?
Windward House, an empty property on top of the cliff that the Fitzgeralds fell in love with and Commander Beech owns.