"I'm safe right 'ere," he said in a grudging tone.

O'Brien's glared at Geordi, his grudging tone saying how much he resented the order.

"It may be," Seven finally admitted in a grudging tone.

The noble released Jim, muttering something incomprehensible but unpleasant in a grudging tone.

"I will do it if I must," Jair was saying, a grudging tone in his voice.

"All right," the two men said in the same grudging tone.

At last, in a grudging tone, he agreed, "Very well.

"To the man's credit, yes," acknowledged Clinch, in a grudging tone.

She said it with a grudging tone, but he knew it was justified, and accepted the words at face value.

The grudging tone of admiration wasn't natural to him.