Astounded: Day 1

Word Count: 6,010

Summary of Events:

Penrod arrived at Verdant at long last — being as it was bitterly cold outside — and got settled in at Sheriff Plumley's place before being told a surprising amount of town gossip for the fact that he wasn't in the presence of a woman. Jemima ate a lonely supper and tried to do some reading, but thoughts and worries about her father led to her eventually turning in early so she'd stop thinking about them.

Excerpt of the Day:

"Mr. Plumley held his mug out under the spout of the kettle and used the fire poker to tip the kettle, pouring out coffee that looked nearly opaque to fill the mug. Penrod wasn't one who liked coffee much, and the darkness of the liquid concerned him, but he was sure it would be rude of him to refuse, so he reluctantly reached out his mug and had it filled.

Even if he would've wanted to put cream or sugar into it, he wouldn't have had the space, he observed as he brought the mug to himself. It was so full Penrod was concerned if he twitched his hand the wrong way he might end up with hot coffee staining his pants — which Susanna would've had a fit over if she would've been there.

Bringing the mug to his lips, Penrod blew softly on the coffee several times before sipping. It took all the power of his facial muscles to keep from spewing the small measure of liquid; he was sure hot water and dirt would've tasted better than it. He wasn't going to sleep for twenty years if he drank the whole mug.

Setting the mug down on the armrest, Penrod built up and swallowed repeated volleys of saliva in what he felt was, unfortunately, vain efforts to remove the terribly bitter taste from his mouth.

"The rural people are the worst," Mr. Plumley said, apparently oblivious to the face Penrod was sure he'd made at the coffee. "They get cabin fever cooped up all on their own so far off in the bush and do all sorts of crazy things. Makes no sense to me. I wish they'd just move into town here so they could get some regular socialisation."

Penrod nodded. He wondered what the rural residents of the area would possibly do that would be so bad, but he was pretty sure he'd find out once things thawed, so there wasn't really any sense in asking.

"The further afield they live, the worse they are too," Mr. Plumley continued. "The ones who live closer to town are usually more sensible and sober. Probably because they come into town for regular socialisation."

Penrod nodded again, cringing at the sight of Mr. Plumley taking a sizeable swig of the bitter brew he was trying to pass off as coffee.

"And of any town they could come to around these parts, I would say that Verdant is the best one," Mr. Plumley went on. "Despite our rather isolated appearances, we've got some of the nicest amenities around here. There's Widow Magnan's millinery, Jeffcoat's barbershop, Thorsteinson's lumberyard, Russ' tailor, Solomon's bank, MacPherson's saloon and hotel, Jackson's hotel, and Miss Sklarenko's place."

Penrod looked over at Mr. Plumley with suspicion. He had an idea what Miss Sklarenko's place would offer, and the thought made his skin crawl."