Who is Mr. Bell from North and South and what is their importance?

Mr. Bell is Mr. Hale's good friend, Margaret's Godfather and Mr. Thornton's landlord. He is a native to Milton, but moved to Oxford to study and stayed on as a Don. Mr. Bell becomes a prominent character after Mrs. Hale's death. When Mr. Hale dies during a visit to Oxford, Mr. Bell personally travels to Milton to deliver the sad news. Mr. Bell dies near the end of the novel and leaves all his money and property to Margaret.