Introducing Ada Brownell and something unique to the Journeys To Joy Followers ~
Ada Brownell has chosen to do something a bit different for our week
with her. She's brought along the characters from her latest release.
Come along with me and meet these amazingly developed individuals who make up Ada's novel.
Post One ~ Day Four
Old “Grouch” Anderson
from The Lady Fugitive
Character sketches from The Lady Fugitive
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Old Grouch
was responsible for the fire. There was gasoline all over the wood. Christian
went outside and got several logs and threw them into the fireplace. A big
fireball exploded and caught him on fire. He rolled on our rug, and it was set
ablaze, along with our settee, cradle, and curtains. I
threw water on him, but it was too late.”
Jenny shook her head, clutched her
heart, and mouthed, “So
sorry.”
“We had no use for gasoline, but Old
Grouch Anderson bought a car from Henry Ford so he uses it. I’ve never seen a
meaner man than Grouch Anderson. You’d better look out for him. He’s one reason
I don’t want to ever come back here.”
***
“Whatcha doing there, girl?”
Jenny lost her balance. She grabbed for
a big rock nearby and almost lost the undergarments she planned to wash next.
When she recovered, she stood, knees
shaking, the skirt of Valerie’s dress tied between her legs. The wet clothing
dripped down her arms. The man, white bushy hair and beard competing for space
on his small head, looked wild. His cheek puffed
out, obviously full of chewing tobacco.
How had he come in without her hearing
him? Had he seen the wanted posters? How would she explain
wearing a dress after masquerading as a man? Well, it was none of this old
codger’s business.
“My brother needed laundry done. You’d
think he could wash his own clothes.”
She spread the garments one at a time,
except for the underwear, which she stuck into a sleeve, and hung them over her
left arm. She extended her right hand. “My name’s Jennifer. Who are you?”
“Name’s Anderson. Know what Mrs.
MacDougal is going to do wid the proppity?” He spat tobacco juice toward a milkweed.
Grouch Anderson. Just as Jenny
suspected. “She went to Boston with her father to have her baby. My twin
brother is helping to care for the place.”
“She know what
caused the fire to flame up like ’at?”
“You’ll have to ask her. If you’ll
excuse me, I need to put these things on the clothesline.”
Grouch trotted off and went straight to
the barn. He picked up the new shovel and threw it on his wagon.
“Excuse me, sir, but that’s not your
shovel.”
Grouch’s face turned red, but he put the
shovel in his wagon and kept looking things over.
Jenny flipped her clothes over the line
and ran for the cellar, opening the goat pen gate as she passed. She flew down
the steps and loaded her new shotgun.
When she caught sight of Grouch, he had
his hands full of tools. She had her mouth open, ready to threaten his life
with the full volume of her returned voice. But the goat interrupted, giving the
old man a triumphant greeting. Rocky took off like a bull in a fighting arena.
His horns connected dead on. Grouch flew through the air and landed in a mud
puddle. The tools from his arms went the other way, clanking one at a time as
they hit the ground.
Grouch choked and appeared to gag.
After he caught his breath, his eyes narrowed. “Awk! Look at me.
That hurt. That’s one mean goat. Give me your shotgun, and I’ll fix ’im for ye.”
She lifted the shotgun. The goat had a
look of triumph as he stared at the old man. “No, I’m getting so I like Rocky.
If I were you, I’d get in my wagon while I could still walk.”
Tune in tomorrow for the next introduction. . .
BE SURE TO LEAVE A COMMENT FOR ADA ~ About her Old "Grouch" character.
Thank you for stopping by Journeys To Joy ~ May your day be blessed!
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