He Opened A Matchmaking Agency In 18Th Century London [EN]: Chapter 35

35. I Need a Powerful Move

◈ London, Hazel Palmer Baron’s Residence.

That evening, Mrs. Suzanne immediately relayed what she had heard from Lucy to the Baroness.

“My lady, there’s this famous matchmaker in London named Theo Sanderson…”

The Baroness Palmer, who had been bedridden due to her eldest son’s reluctance to marry, immediately inquired about Theo.

Encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive responses, the Baroness sent a message through Mrs. Suzanne, asking if he could visit her at home.

*

Two days later.

“Whoa there—we’ve arrived, sir.”

The Palmer Baron’s residence was a short 20-minute carriage ride away.

The mansion was a modest stone building built on a hill, but it harmonized beautifully with the lush forest nearby, resembling a picturesque painting.

As they approached the entrance, delicate and exotic sculptures were placed here and there, likely expensive statues acquired through trade.

As Theo stepped out of the carriage, an elderly man, who appeared to be the butler, greeted him.

“Mr. Theo Sanderson, I presume?”

The butler politely asked for his name and led Theo into the drawing room.

Compared to the grand mansions of dukes or earls he had seen before, this house seemed small and simple, but the porcelain and paintings displayed were clearly expensive.

‘The Palmer Baron must have amassed a fortune through trade.’

According to Lucy, Hazel Palmer Baron was not the eldest son.

In England, titles and family estates were usually inherited only by the eldest son, so even in noble families, the other children did not receive titles.

Strictly speaking, the second son onwards were not nobles but commoners.

Of course, being from a noble family, children other than the eldest son remained gentry and received social treatment as nobles.

However, there were exceptions to this rule when upper-class nobles above the rank of Earl held multiple titles.

If an Earl father had several titles such as Viscount or Baron, he could pass on the remaining titles to his other sons even after giving the Earl title to his eldest son.

Hazel Palmer Baron’s father also held the title of Baron in addition to the title of Earl, so he passed on the title of Baron to Hazel Palmer, who was the third son.

Thanks to this, Hazel Palmer was legally a noble with a title.

However, as he was not the eldest son, he did not inherit as much land as his older brother.

For this reason, Hazel Palmer Baron turned to trade and managed a large sugar cane plantation in Jamaica, which became a great success and allowed him to accumulate a great deal of wealth.

“Thank you for coming all this way. I am Hazel Palmer.”

As he turned away from the wall while looking at the precious works of art, a middle-aged man standing by the window approached and greeted Theo.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Theo Sanderson.”

Hazel Palmer Baron, with his dark tan, had a good physique and a distinctly masculine feel.

He looked more like a gruff sailor than a nobleman, probably because he had been on trading ships for a long time and built a large business.

“These are my wife and daughters.”

Theo also greeted Baron Palmer’s wife and three daughters.

The Baroness and her daughters looked strangely alike, and their impressions were not very favorable, perhaps because of their lean figures and somewhat sharp eyes.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Sanderson. I told Louis so many times to come early this afternoon, but he said he was coming from boxing practice at the club and still hasn’t arrived.”

“Ah, no. It’s alright. I don’t have anything special to do this evening anyway, and my house is close by.”

As soon as they sat down, Baroness Palmer spoke again.

“I really didn’t know there was such a famous person near my house. Not only my acquaintances but even my son knows Mr. Sanderson.”

“Ah, yes. I guess he heard about me at the club.”

The Baroness nodded.

“I think so. When I brought up the topic of matchmaking, he shook his head, saying he would never do it, but when I mentioned Theo Sanderson’s name, he asked several times to confirm if it was true and showed interest. He said he had heard about you several times at the club.”

“Ah, yes.”

The fact that his name was somewhat known seemed to help in situations like this. It increased curiosity and trust without any special explanation and minimized resistance.

‘If he already knew my name, he would also know that I do matchmaking… Does that mean he’s not interested in homosexuality?’

If so, it was indeed fortunate.

Hazel Palmer Baron, who had been sitting quietly next to him, suddenly spoke.

“That rascal, who should be carrying on the family line, is refusing to get married, so what can I do…? I hope you can pay a lot of attention to him, Mr. Sanderson.”

Palmer Baron had an outspoken personality, and his tone was rough and coarse.

In some ways, he had a personality that could clash a lot with the Baroness, but the fact that he often went abroad for trade seemed to prevent it from leading to major discord.

Knock, knock.

After a knock, maids soon entered with tea and cookies.

One went to the side where the Baron and his wife and Theo were, and the other went to the daughters sitting by the window in the distance.

Thud. Thud.

“Oh, what is this?”

As she reached out to drink her tea, a shrill voice came from the window.

Glancing over, he saw the Baron’s eldest daughter glaring fiercely at the young red-haired maid.

The young maid’s mouth was pulled back, and her eyebrows were raised with tension in her upper eyelids, a typical expression of fear.

‘······.’

However, the emotions coming from the maid’s expression and gestures were not good. It was a very negative emotion mixed with fear and anger.

“What’s wrong?”

Asked the Baroness irritably, the young maid flinched once more.

‘Looking at the reactions of subtle expressions and gestures that seem to have been learned repeatedly, she must have suffered a lot like that…’

The sharp-looking mother and daughters seemed to have unpleasant personalities in reality as well.

“No, they brought me cookies that I don’t eat again. I told them once last time, but they’re doing this again!”

The Baroness, conscious of Theo, tried to suppress her emotions and said.

“Shelly? Didn’t I tell you that I hate excuses?”

“I’m… I’m sorry. Madam.”

“You always seem to have the word ‘sorry’ on your lips. If you knew, go out quickly. We have a guest, don’t we?”

“Yes…”

Theo was embarrassed.

‘Wow, this. If the mother and daughters have personalities like that, the eldest son of this house seems to have a similar disposition? Besides, he said he was coming, but he didn’t even keep the appointment time… Hmm.’

A twisted personality formed while growing up is difficult to fix.

No matter how high the success bonus is, if it doesn’t seem right, he should cut it off appropriately and get out.

*

While he was having meaningless conversations with the Palmer Baron and his wife, a somewhat noisy sound was heard at the entrance.

Soon, a young man of sturdy build hurriedly entered the living room.

He greeted the Baron and then immediately approached Theo.

“Mr. Theo Sanderson, right? Nice to meet you. I’m Louis Palmer. There was a minor incident at the club, so I’m a little late. Please forgive me.”

Lord Louis Palmer politely bowed his head.

‘···?’

He was exuding a very bright and healthy expression and gestures, as well as good emotions coming from them, as much as his appearance.

**

Theo and Louis Palmer were drinking tea alone on the outdoor terrace of the Palmer Baron’s house and talking.

After talking for about ten minutes, Theo concluded Louis was a very normal man.

Rather, he had well-groomed and healthy emotions.

He had a generous and cheerful personality, and he was perfect with the manners that a nobleman of this era should have.

Moreover, Theo did not sense any homosexual inclinations that he had worried about.

When he worked as a clinical psychologist, there were often cases where he received counseling for homosexuality, and although there were differences in degree, the emotions felt from them were clearly different from those of ordinary people.

However, Louis did not have such feelings at all.

‘If he has very good emotions and is not a homosexual, why is he refusing to get married?’

Knock, knock.

As they were talking, there was a knock and a maid came in.

It was the young red-haired maid who had been scolded by the daughters earlier.

“I brought cookies. Young master… but…”

The young maid was slightly tearful.

“The cookies are all gone, so there’s only boiled beans…”

On the pretty plate that the maid brought, there were cookie crumbs and several boiled beans.

She should have said in advance and prepared it if the cookies ran out, but she must have forgotten.

So, although she knew that it was a cookie that the owner’s daughter didn’t like, she seemed to have gathered all the remaining ones to match the color, fearing that a harsh reprimand would follow.

Theo felt sorry for the girl, who had not yet shed her childishness, trembling for fear of being scolded.

But it was strange.

He did not feel the negative emotions that he had seen in front of the daughters from the young maid.

Rather, he strongly felt the emotion of wanting to complain to Louis.

“Shelly. I’m okay. Just put it down and go out. And…”

The young maid, with tears slightly welling up in her eyes, looked at Louis.

“If you go to my room, there will be some cookies in the travel bag. A friend who went to France last week brought it as a gift.

Take that and use it for a few days, at least. If you stay like this, you’ll be tormented again from tomorrow, right?”

The young maid repeatedly bowed her head to express her gratitude for Louis’ consideration.

Louis put the boiled beans she brought into his mouth deliciously and even made a comical expression.

It was a character that was rarely seen in the young nobles of this era.

Thump-

As the young maid closed the terrace door and went out, Louis said with an embarrassed face.

“Looking at Shelly’s complexion, I guess my sisters scolded her a bit. I’m embarrassed in case Mr. Sanderson saw it too. Haha.”

“Still, it’s good that you have such a good personality as an older brother, so you can help her.”

“Do I have any personality? My sisters have a lot of problems.”

An undeniable aversion flowed out from his expression and gestures as he smiled bitterly while talking about his younger sisters.

“I heard from your mother that you box at the club in the morning?”

“Yes. At first, I tried it out of curiosity, but as I did it, I felt refreshed and my head became clear, so I liked it. So now I’ve been doing it often as a hobby for several years.”

“Ah, I see.”

It was a wise choice.

‘Stress’ can have a bad effect on both the body and the mind, but Louis seemed to have escaped from such an environment on his own.

He would have minimized situations that could be stressful and cultivated good social skills and emotions by meeting good friends and engaging in various discussions and hobbies at the club.

It seemed that he could understand why only Louis could have a uniquely good emotional state in the same family environment.

As a considerable amount of intimacy was formed with Louis through a fairly long conversation, Theo cautiously brought up the issue of matchmaking.

“I heard from your mother that you even declared that you would not get married.”

His expression, which had been cheerful until just now, soon darkened, and the color of his emotions also changed clearly.

“…Yes. If you heard, you’ll know. I have no intention of getting married for the time being. No, to be honest, I don’t think that feeling will change in the future either.”

A very firm will was felt. First of all, it seemed that he had to examine the seed of emotion as to why Louis had such a strong mind.

Theo delved into his emotions by bringing up the story of his mother and younger sisters, who had shown the worst emotions while talking to Louis so far.

“Your mother and younger sisters seem to be worried about their older brother.”

“······.”

Louis’ expression and emotions began to fluctuate slightly.

Momentarily, his upper lip curled up, and wrinkles briefly appeared and disappeared on the bridge of his nose, as if he had smelled something unpleasant.

‘Great discomfort with mom and younger sisters…’

Certainly, the uncomfortable feeling that Louis had about marriage seemed to have started not from ‘women’ but from ‘his mother and her younger sisters.’

An emotion that has been repeated for a long time and has now given up because there is no desire to resist.

‘Hmm… I understand a little. While watching his mom and younger sisters exuding bad emotions in a house with many women, he unknowingly developed negative emotions about marriage. He has a false perception that all women will be like that when they get married and live their life.’

‘Even if he saw a woman he liked, he seems to have a prejudice that the woman is just wearing a mask and that she will be no different when she gets married and lives her life.’

As Theo caught Louis’ negative emotions and identified the cause, he smiled without realizing it.

If there was a strong homosexual tendency, it would be impossible to make him want to get married in the first place.

However, Louis was a healthy young nobleman with no physical or mental problems, so there was nothing to worry about at all.

Then the solution is very simple.

Ideal type.

All he had to do was find an ideal type that would change his mind.

‘Hehe. I think this will be the easiest person to match since I came to the 18th century?’

However, in this case, a strong external stimulus is more important than tendencies.

In the case of men who have solidified into negative thoughts about marriage like this, the door may be surprisingly solid and not easily opened.

In this case, a powerful move is needed that can break the door at once, and the external charm of a woman who perfectly matches her tendency can be that one move.

A heterosexual [someone attracted to the opposite sex] with an appearance that fits his heart and taste so much that Louis opens the door of his heart wide at once.

In fact, this method is difficult for women who place more meaning on emotional exchange, but it is very effectively applied to men who are sensitive to visual judgment.

And if the personality and words are well communicated here, it is icing on the cake.

“Okay. I hear you have a firm mind that you will not get married. But Lord Palmer, since we have a relationship like this anyway, could you meet the woman I introduce to you just once?”

“…Yes?”

“You will never regret it.”

“······.”

Louis met the famous Theo Sanderson and had a fairly long and deep conversation, and he felt more cheerful than ever before.

He felt like he was talking to someone who understood him, as much as the great rumors suggested.

And, he thought that he would like to meet a woman that this person cares about and introduces him to at least once.

Louis nodded.

“Yes. Well, that’s okay. It’s not like I’m getting married just by meeting her.”

“Yes, thank you for understanding. Then I’ll prepare knowing that.”