He was kind to them but always in a gruff manner.

"You're nothing but bones and white skin," Lytol said in his customary gruff manner.

Of course she worried-she has a warm heart under her gruff manner, as we all know.

I think Yggur, despite his gruff manner, does feel some sympathy for our cause.

"No," she said, genuinely surprised by the question and his gruff, almost angry manner.

Under the gruff manner Jeremy heard a kind of amused admiration.

For his other expenses he had to ask his father, whose gruff manner made asking difficult.

He knew that often a gruff manner masked a tender sentiment.

"I know Radcliffe's good heart too well to be deceived by his gruff manner."

Despite his direct, sometimes gruff manner, Mike was steadfast in his respect for difference.