He Opened A Matchmaking Agency In 18Th Century London [EN]: Chapter 116

< 116. The Countess's Tears >

Lady Hughes, supported by her maid, rose from her seat.

“What makes you so insistent?”

“I have a painting to show you.”

“Is it like you to be so eager to show me a mere painting? Leave it here; I’ll look at it later.”

Despite his wife’s irritated rebuke, Lord Hughes steadfastly held out the painting.

“Lord Sanderson highly recommended the artist… I felt you really ought to see this.”

“Lord Sanderson, you say?”

The Countess finally showed a hint of interest.

“We can discuss the details later; just look at the painting. Let’s talk after you’ve seen it.”

At her husband’s unusual urging, she reluctantly looked down at the painting on her lap.

‘…!’

*

Footsteps pounded down the hallway, and then,

“Lord Sanderson! Lord Sanderson!”

Lord Hughes appeared at the top of the second-floor stairs, urgently seeking Theo.

“?”

“Lord Sanderson! Please come up here! My wife has a question for you. She wants to know about the artist who painted this.”

“Ah, yes!”

Theo rose from his seat and hurried towards the Countess’s room.

The Countess, looking flushed, asked,

“You say it’s the work of an employee from your company?”

“Yes. We have an employee who handles artwork, and he painted this portrait of a miner.”

The Countess examined Charlie’s painting intently before asking again,

“It doesn’t seem like this employee is a professional artist. Has he had formal training?”

“Ah, that. You have a keen eye. He’s quite young and hasn’t had proper training, so those who know about art might find it a bit rough.”

The Countess shook her head.

“No… that’s not what I meant.”

“?”

“The lack of training allows his unique style to shine through.”

“Ah, is that so?”

The Countess’s hand, clutching the frame, trembled slightly.

“It may sound strange, but it’s the kind of style I’ve always dreamed of. A genius who, without any instruction, independently discovers and reinterprets with pure inspiration. Art from a world unbound by any constraints…”

Suddenly, tears streamed down the Countess’s cheeks.

Startled, Lord Hughes rushed to his wife’s side.

“My dear, what’s wrong? Is your headache acting up again?”

Wiping away her tears, the Countess slowly spoke,

“The miner’s gaze is so warm and full of happiness.”

“Oh, my… You scared me.”

“It’s… it’s the kind of painting I’ve only ever found in my dreams.”

“Ha-ha, what did I tell you? I knew you’d love it the moment I saw it.”

The Countess seemed to have many questions about Charlie.

“Lord Sanderson? You said the artist is young?”

“Yes, very young. You’d be surprised when you see him.”

“If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to invite him to the house sometime. Would that be possible?”

“Of course, Countess. I’ll arrange a time as soon as possible.”

“Thank you, thank you, Lord Sanderson.”

As the Countess turned her gaze back to Charlie’s painting, Theo sensed a significant emotional shift.

‘Her emotions are changing in a way that’s completely different from when we last met…’

Theo was reminded of a patient who had undergone a similar transformation.

A man who, after graduating from a prestigious university and working at a good job, suddenly plunged into the theater world in his forties.

Starting a new life in theater allowed him to escape the severe headaches, hallucinations, and stress that had plagued him his entire life.

Theo wondered if the Countess might be a similar case.

She was a woman filled with a stronger artistic passion than anyone else, but due to the constraints of the era, she couldn’t pursue that path.

Marrying into the Earl’s family, her burning desires were suppressed for the sake of her family, and she had to settle for simply appreciating good art.

Then, at some point, an overwhelming sense of helplessness likely engulfed her body and mind.

‘If that’s the case, having art sessions with Charlie might have a significant therapeutic effect.’

Theo cautiously shared his thoughts.

“Countess… How about learning to paint from the artist who painted this portrait whenever you have time?”

“Pardon?”

“If you’ve always dreamed of this style and are moved to tears by it, it could be a sign of a mental ailment caused by a strong sense of deprivation.”

“Can something like that cause a mental illness? Or even physical ailments?”

“Yes. People often suffer from such conditions.”

Lord Hughes also actively supported the idea.

“That sounds like a wonderful idea. In fact, she’s been saying she wants to paint again for a while now. But she always grumbled that there was no teacher she wanted to learn from. Now that an artist who paints the kind of art she’s always dreamed of has appeared, it’s perfect. Haha.”

The Countess also looked delighted.

◈ Kensington

Theo stood in front of a building on Kensington High Street with Brook Morgan, a real estate agent.

The building Theo was looking at was located on the same street corner as the matchmaking agency.

It was a magnificent structure, sturdily built with high-quality materials.

“They won’t even entertain offers?”

Brook Morgan nodded.

“No. They say they have no intention of selling, no matter how much money is offered.”

“Goodness.”

So far, the plan to create ‘Theo Street’ in Kensington was progressing smoothly.

They had opened the matchmaking agency and Cafe No. 1, and were gradually purchasing the buildings below the matchmaking agency to prepare the remaining facilities.

But the problem was the ballroom.

The ballroom was the most important and essential venue for marriage in the 18th century.

It was no exaggeration to say that young men and women made their presence known and began their relationships through ballrooms.

Even though Theo was famous as a matchmaker, the reality was that many people still married through social balls.

There was even a prejudice that those who met through matchmakers rather than at balls had some kind of flaw.

And above all, ‘balls’ were essential for securing good members.

To be called a ‘ball’ at this time, at least 200 guests, and often 500-600, had to be invited, so operating a ballroom naturally required a building large enough to accommodate them.

Each room also needed maids to attend to guests, a live band had to be hired, and separate rooms were needed for storing coats and a tea room for relaxing and enjoying desserts and drinks, so plenty of extra rooms were also required.

For these reasons, hosting a reasonably sized ball cost at least 300 pounds, which was a considerable sum equivalent to several years’ salary for an average office worker in London.

Nevertheless, parents tried to hold balls even if it meant straining their finances, in order to find a slightly better match for their children, and the resulting social problems were constantly being pointed out.

Theo was planning the best ballroom that members of the matchmaking agency, as well as the general public, could attend.

His calculation was that if this was properly established, the cost of marriage could be drastically reduced.

And then, a building perfectly suited for use as a ballroom was discovered at the end of the street where the matchmaking agency was located, and Theo was overjoyed.

But his joy was short-lived; the owner of the building seemed absolutely unwilling to sell. They wouldn’t budge even when offered twice the market price.

‘It would be fantastic to have a great ballroom. Moreover, if I bought that building, this whole street from the matchmaking agency at the top to here would really become ‘Theo Street’…’

Theo asked Brook Morgan with a look of regret,

“You said the owner of the building and land is the same person?”

“Yes.”

“Is there any way I can meet the owner of the property in person?”

Morgan replied with a troubled expression.

“It won’t be easy. She’s an elderly Duchess, and she’s very stubborn and has so much wealth that she has no desire for money. She probably won’t meet you at all regarding the purchase of that building. But I’ll ask.”

“Yes. Thank you. Please do.”

◈ Windsor Castle

The King, along with ministers and nobles, were gathered in the reception room of Windsor Castle.

Theo was also in attendance at the invitation of King George to discuss matters of state.

They were engaged in a heated debate regarding ‘peace talks’ with the North American colonies.

“Your Majesty, you must not listen too closely to their words.”

“Are they not preposterous individuals? Independence? Unthinkable, Your Majesty!”

The clamor of objections was deafening.

King George rested his forehead in his hand, his eyes tightly shut.

A few days earlier, Benjamin Franklin had visited England as a representative of the North American colonies for talks aimed at resolving the situation peacefully.

The British side had persuaded the North American colonies that if they agreed to abandon their claims for independence and end the war, all situations would be returned to before 1763.

In other words, if they gave up the War of Independence, the North American colonies would be granted all rights except for trade and diplomacy, only taxes agreed to by the colonists would be collected, and the right to elect governors would be guaranteed, among other groundbreaking proposals.

In addition, they promised that once all situations were stabilized, British troops would be completely withdrawn from the colonies.

If these generous proposals had been made before the War of Independence broke out, they would have been attractive offers that the North American colonists would have found difficult to refuse.

However, Benjamin Franklin flatly rejected the British side’s friendly and peaceful gestures.

All that the colonial delegates demanded was the establishment of a nation completely independent from Britain.

For Britain, which had given up so much, this was a demand that was beyond disappointing and infuriating.

“Your Majesty! You must immediately send our British Navy in the Caribbean to the North American colonies to crush the arrogant and insolent colonists…”

“Enough! Enough!”

King George opened his eyes wide and waved his hand dismissively.

Then, raising his voice, he rebuked,

“I started the war with the North American colonies based on your words, and I sent Minister Howe as commander, believing your words, only to lose a war that we had already won right before our eyes!

And taking comfort in your claims, I thought the war situation would improve, and I have been pouring enormous amounts of money into a war that I cannot even properly manage!

But look at the state of the war now! You said they were a ragtag army with poor supplies, but our British army, supposedly the strongest in the world, is collapsing so easily?

Those esteemed generals, whom I praised as true soldiers devoted to the country, are finding ballrooms in enemy territory, indulging in drinking and whoring, and complaining that they are losing the war because of a lack of supplies, aren’t they?”

A healthy George III, free from mental illness, was not the weak monarch seen in history books.

His voice was full of power, and the authority of the king was alive.

“Sanderson! Lord Theo Sanderson!”

At King George’s call, Theo pushed through the ministers and nobles and stepped forward.

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

King George pointed at Theo and vented his frustration.

“I’m sure everyone here, including myself, is a moron!

Lord Sanderson predicted the colonial war that everyone said was impossible a few years ago, and Lord Sanderson accurately predicted the Declaration of Independence, which everyone doubted would happen.

That damn Commander Howe, even though I told him to push forward, was complacent and generously opened the way for the colonial army to survive.

Lord Sanderson repeatedly warned to prepare for small-scale guerrilla tactics before the Battle of Saratoga, but these stupid commanders listened with one ear and let it out the other, and were utterly and miserably defeated.

In the end, we were all wrong, and Lord Sanderson was all right!”

Just before leaving for Jamaica, Theo had repeatedly emphasized to King George and senior officials the need to prepare for small-scale guerrilla tactics.

However, these warnings from Theo were disregarded on the battlefield, and the resulting damage to the British army was enormous.

“Your Majesty, with all due respect, the reason why we could not prevent those small-scale attacks…”

A nobleman who had been standing far away cautiously stepped forward and opened his mouth. He was one of the British commanders who had been severely defeated in the guerrilla warfare at the time.

“Shut your mouth!”

King George roared with a flushed face, and the nobleman, who had tried to make excuses, quickly returned to his seat and hid himself.

At King George’s anger, all the officials and even the nobles lowered their heads and watched his every move.

Even though the power of the king was weakened by the constitutional monarchy, the power of the 18th-century king was terrifying beyond the imagination of modern people.

Moreover, the healthier and more vigorous George made the surrounding subjects shrink back even more.

“Lord Sanderson!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“The words that Lord Sanderson said when he left England two years ago will be clearly remembered by everyone here, including myself. And as if to mock our stupidity, they are all coming true one by one!”

King George, who had been scolding the officials, continued to speak to Theo.

“I think I took your ‘best choice’ too lightly at the time. Looking back, I realize how wise your ‘best’ could have been each time, and I regret it very much.”

“I am humbled, Your Majesty.”

“Good- good! Now I am ready to take any words you say seriously, so tell me what is the ‘best choice’ we can make at this point, now that everything has become such a mess.”