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Chapter : 12
Rose briefly wondered if he wasn’t from the same Conservative Party, but soon dismissed the thought.
There was something unpleasant about the man named Avery that was hard to define.
“Your hand.”
A shadow fell over Rose as she was organizing her thoughts, and a low voice echoed near her ear.
Ray’s arm moved beside her chest.
When Rose placed her hand on his arm, his pale blue eyes quietly looked at her. It was that familiar warning gaze.
Seeing that cold look, she became certain that the moment they returned to the mansion, Ray would question her about what she had spoken with Avery.
“Hm, it seems Lord Crawford has arrived at the right time.”
Seeing the couple approach, the old Prime Minister smiled warmly. The Prime Minister and his wife were among the few who were genuinely kind to Rose without pretense.
“The veterans’ welfare bill is something Lord Crawford has been working on, so he must be curious about its progress.”
As the Prime Minister patted Ray’s back and pulled him into the conversation, the legislator he had been speaking with looked troubled.
“No, Prime Minister… I was actually interested in your opinion…”
“Hm?”
The Prime Minister only made a vague sound as if he had not heard. Rose wondered whether he truly didn’t hear, or was pretending due to his age.
He didn’t seem to have hearing problems, yet he occasionally acted like that.
Taking the lack of response as an opening, the legislator turned to Ray.
“No, it’s nothing serious.”
“Is there a problem with the bill?”
At Ray’s question, the legislator quickly shook his head.
“No, no. The bill is excellent. Truly excellent. It’s just the budget that’s a concern…”
As he trailed off, his gaze suddenly shifted behind Ray.
Only then did Rose notice that Archibald Avery had finished his cigarette and followed them.
Seeing the exchanged look between the legislator and Avery, Ray tilted his head slightly.
“I don’t think you need to worry about that. Thanks to Lord Avery.”
“My doing?”
Avery asked as if he didn’t understand, but Ray’s smile only deepened.
“When you raised tariffs, you used the need for increased taxes as justification for this bill. I assume you’ve already prepared the funds from that revenue.”
Avery’s polished expression briefly stiffened.
Watching him, Rose suddenly remembered something she had heard from Beth before.
Beth had a habit of collecting every article about her brother and sometimes showed them to Rose. One editorial title she had once ignored suddenly came back to her.
“If the Minister of Internal Affairs Were Crawford.”
Beth had said Avery was not popular as Minister of Internal Affairs.
Since he took office, the economy had worsened, and people complained that all he did was raise tariffs.
As Rose recalled that, Avery waved his hand dismissively.
“Yes, yes. Don’t worry about that. And don’t worry about the bill either.”
His gesture was slightly irritated. It was clear he wanted to avoid the topic.
“What Lord Crawford should worry about is something else. Foreign affairs.”
Avery smoothly shifted the topic back to Ray.
“Of course, there hasn’t been much to do lately. I suppose you’ve been enjoying some free time. Peace without war is a holiday for the Foreign Minister, isn’t it?”
Considering Avery’s earlier behavior on the balcony, Rose thought his words were probably not to be taken at face value.
It could just as easily be a disguised insult, implying he had nothing to do.
Ray only smiled faintly and said nothing.
“Well, at least it’s fortunate. That gives you more time to pay attention to your wife. I am quite concerned. It seems she hasn’t adapted well to Orthura.”
With a sympathetic look, Avery turned to Rose.
“Lord Crawford is a key figure in our Conservative Party, madam. Your support is more important than ever…”
He sighed dramatically, leaving the rest unsaid. The meaning was obvious.
What is this?
Rose frowned slightly.
The man had been subtly attacking her since the balcony.
She tried to ignore it as just another person insulting her for being from Bolton, but this was too much.
It was deliberate.
As if others felt it too, the Prime Minister, who had been pretending not to hear, cleared his throat and stepped in.
“Everything is difficult at first. I think she is adapting very well. Don’t you agree?”
Before Rose could respond, the Prime Minister’s wife eagerly nodded.
With their support, Avery seemed to step back slightly.
“I see. Do keep working hard, Mrs. Crawford. You wouldn’t want to cross the River Tees again.”
At least until he said that.
The atmosphere turned instantly cold.
Even the politicians looked uneasy. Though they seemed more concerned about Ray than Rose.
Crossing the River Tees.
Rose understood the meaning of this well-known Orthuran saying.
South of the River Tees lay Bolton.
Orthurans often said, “I would rather cross the Tees,” meaning they would rather go to that uncivilized place.
Bolton was used as a standard of something undesirable.
She had heard it many times. Some said it without noticing her, others corrected themselves, and some used it only when Ray wasn’t present.
But Archibald Avery was the only one who said it deliberately in front of both of them.
Avery smiled as he looked at her.
Even now, in this humiliating moment, Rose wondered whether she should stay silent.
She wanted to snap back—Why not? What’s so bad about crossing it?—but many things stopped her.
Ray’s cold gaze, Agatha’s sighs, and the pitying stares of others.
She tried to speak but nothing came out.
Then, a hand gently rested on her shoulder.
“When I went to meet my wife for the first time, I crossed the River Tees…”
Ray’s calm voice came as he pulled her slightly closer.
“Nothing particularly different there.”
He finished smoothly.
“Just as there is nothing particularly different about my wife.”
As expected of a politician, his acting was flawless.
Looking at his gentle smile, he seemed like a devoted husband.
The Prime Minister’s wife even let out an impressed sound.
A perfect face wearing a perfect… fake smile.
As always, Ray Crawford’s methods were smooth and natural.
He did not openly protest, nor did he stay silent.
Instead, he included himself in her, ending the situation. People could insult Rose, but not him.
Politically, it was effective. Emotionally, it was hollow.
Rose felt like punching Avery.
“What are you saying, Lord Crawford? Mrs. Crawford is exceptionally beautiful. How could you say that? Your standards must be too high…”
The Prime Minister’s wife laughed, and others joined in.
“I’ve never seen such a beauty, even crossing rivers. Lord Avery wouldn’t know since he doesn’t travel.”
Smiling back, Ray calmly resolved the situation.
“Crossing rivers is my job. I cross every river in Orthura.”
“And which is best? Anything interesting across them?”
Questions immediately followed.
From Antaka and Planto’s economy to Radan’s politics—questions only a Foreign Minister could answer poured in.
Rose watched Ray answer smoothly, and felt both relief and helplessness.
Would she have to remain silent forever, only able to speak through him?
