He Opened A Matchmaking Agency In 18Th Century London [EN]: Chapter 74

Rustle, rustle—

The women who saw Tae-oh all rose from their seats as if they had rehearsed it.

‘What… were they all waiting for me?’

The atmosphere was strange. Wives and young ladies alike were all intently looking at Tae-oh with wide eyes.

Tae-oh, already overwhelmed by the extreme hospitality, found himself in an even more awkward situation.

Following behind, Lord Gray smiled and addressed the gathering,

“This is Lord Theo Sanders. Hahaha.”

Tae-oh felt a wave of embarrassment. He had expected a quiet dinner with Lord Gray’s family.

But the atmosphere was strangely familiar.

The expectant energy he had felt surrounded by mothers in the 21st century was now being replicated in 18th century Jamaica.

“Lord Sanderson! Come, sit here.”

Lord Gray took Tae-oh’s arm and guided him forward.

‘…?’

But the seat he was being led to was the head seat at the table.

Unless the guest was of very high rank, they would usually be seated next to the host, but Lord Gray was offering Tae-oh the seat as if he were the host himself.

‘Oh, my. I’m not a duke or anything, geez…’

Wanting to end this uncomfortable situation quickly, he sat down without a word.

But Lord Gray, who should have been sitting next to him, suddenly turned to the ladies and urged,

“Now, now, don’t just stand there blankly. Quickly bring your daughters here and line them up!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the women lined up as if they were soldiers standing in formation.

They wore tense expressions, like noble ladies preparing for their first audience with Queen Charlotte.

‘Ha… this is…’

Tae-oh let out a hollow laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

But he understood to some extent why they were doing this.

Even in England, marriage was a crucial issue for their children’s futures, but in the Jamaican colony, where opportunities to meet suitable partners were scarce, it was an even more difficult and important undertaking.

So, with someone who was making a name for himself as a successful matchmaker in London now present, they must have seen it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“Lord Sanderson, this is Lady Allen and her daughter, Miss Mary Allen.”

“Ah… yes. Nice to meet you.”

At a glance, they were dressed in their finest clothes.

“Lord Allen, if I may say so, is a wealthy planter who manages three sugarcane farms and has an annual income of…”

Tae-oh was finally able to start his meal only after listening to the introductions of more than ten young ladies and their respective family fortunes.

*

Just as he was about to begin eating amidst the bustling atmosphere, Lord Gray whispered.

“Lord Sanders?”

“Yes?”

“Everyone seems very interested in you. I’m sorry to ask, but would you be willing to say a few words of greeting before we eat?”

“…A greeting?”

“Yes. It seems they are all eager to hear something from you.”

“Ah… yes. Well… a greeting…”

“Oh, would you?”

Lord Gray stood up with a delighted expression and announced in a loud voice.

“Now, before we begin our meal, we will have a greeting from Baronet Sanders.”

At his words, the somewhat noisy dining room quickly fell silent.

Tae-oh, looking slightly bewildered, stood up from his seat and offered his thanks.

“First of all, I am deeply grateful for such a warm welcome. When I left London…”

It was a short thank-you, but the atmosphere quickly became charged with excitement.

Whispers of surprise and admiration erupted here and there.

– Oh my, did you hear that just now? That intonation?

– Yes, yes! A long time ago, a marquess from London had a similar accent, didn’t he?

– Wow, even if we use the same words, the feeling is so different.

– Even though he’s young, doesn’t the inherent dignity in his gestures feel different? He seems to be even more impressive than what I read in the local newspaper or heard in rumors.

Tae-oh’s dignified manners and the unique accent of the London upper class made him seem like a true nobleman from England, inspiring a sense of trust in those who observed him.

Judging a person’s nobility by their manners and pronunciation was just as common in faraway Jamaica.

However, while London society scrutinized Tae-oh, looking for flaws, here, they regarded him with reverence, which made all the difference.

– Lord Charles Brown was also from a baronet family, but he didn’t display the same manners as Lord Sanderson… Don’t you think there’s something different about him?

– I agree. It seems the rumors that he is favored by His Majesty are not without reason.

Tae-oh’s name was now well known in London’s high society, but the general sentiment was that he was surprisingly elevated to the title of baronet due to his exceptional abilities.

However, in Jamaica, where most people were gentry or commoners at best, Tae-oh’s position as a ‘Baronet’ was by no means insignificant.

William Trelawny, who was respected as the Governor of Jamaica a few years ago, was also a ‘Baronet’ [a hereditary title of honor].

Moreover, perhaps because of his unique and dignified southeastern inland accent and the ingrained manners evident in every gesture, he seemed to be born of a noble family.

Not long after the meal began, a middle-aged woman adorned with flamboyant jewelry spoke up, unable to contain herself any longer.

“Hoho, Mr. Sanderson? If you don’t mind, may I ask you something?”

“Yes, of course.”

“I heard that you are famous for connecting suitable matches in London. Would such an opportunity be possible for our daughters here? Please consider introducing our children as well. Hohoho.”

The eyes of the ladies, who had been pretending to eat with feigned innocence, all turned to Tae-oh at once.

It was the question they all wanted to ask.

“Ah… yes. Introductions.”

Since Jamaica became a British colony, gentry from noble families and wealthy merchants had immigrated and settled there, resulting in many children being born and raised on the island.

As these children grew up and reached marriageable age, their mothers worried about the difficulty of finding suitable partners in the colony.

‘Hmm…’

In truth, Tae-oh had no intention of engaging in matchmaking in Jamaica.

He planned to quickly assess the viability of the coffee farm, entrust its management to someone capable, and return to London.

However, Tae-oh’s resolve weakened as he looked at their earnest faces.

‘Well… come to think of it, there are some rather attractive young ladies here. It wouldn’t hurt to get to know them and make some connections. This is my profession, after all…’

In London, there were also frequent inquiries from nobles seeking connections with the children of wealthy merchants in Jamaica.

In that respect, it might be beneficial to get to know and organize the young men and women here.

“I came here primarily for the farm, so I will be busy with work for the time being, but I will certainly keep you in mind as opportunities arise.”

He didn’t give a definite answer, but the ladies seemed quite pleased with even that much.

“Oh, really?”

“Wow, I’m so excited!”

“Please, please do.”

*

After the meal, Tae-oh had a conversation with Lord Gray in his study.

Sebastian Martin, the chief manager of Baron Palmer’s estates, was also present.

“Oh, so you’re saying you’re going to run a coffee farm? But that… won’t make you much money.”

Lord Gray looked concerned at the prospect of Tae-oh trying to run a coffee farm.

It was understandable, as he didn’t yet know how valuable Jamaican coffee would become in the future.

In fact, there was a specific reason why Tae-oh had come all the way to Jamaica to investigate coffee farms.

One of the top priorities Tae-oh was considering for ‘Theo Street’ was a modern cafe.

He had often lamented the lack of cafes or restaurants with a pleasant atmosphere when arranging meetings between young men and women in London.

No matter how well-suited two people were, there was a limit to how effectively they could connect and explore their feelings in a chaotic and rigid environment.

A cafe with a good atmosphere could reduce unnecessary apprehension and provide the best setting for people to get closer quickly.

In particular, he had repeatedly observed in the modern era that the aroma of high-quality coffee alone could calm the mind and enhance mutual attraction.

Tae-oh intended to be ambitious.

He planned to open several cafes on Theo Street that would serve coffee with a unique and exceptional taste.

To achieve this, coffee beans of a quality far superior to those currently available on the market were essential.

And then, as if by luck, he learned about a special coffee called Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee.

‘The real Blue Mountain Coffee hasn’t yet made its mark on the world. If I can accelerate its rise, I can not only generate significant profits but also open the best cafe, serving exceptional coffee.

Then, unlike the existing chaotic tea gardens, the marriage rate will increase significantly thanks to the inviting atmosphere of the cafe, where people can easily connect… It’s a win-win situation.’

Tae-oh turned to Mr. Martin, the chief manager.

“Mr. Martin, if you have time tomorrow, could we visit the coffee farm that Baron Palmer has given me together?”

“Yes, of course. If we leave early tomorrow morning, we can arrive a little after noon.”

“Thank you.”

Lord Gray, who had been observing Tae-oh’s expression, smiled and said.

“Well, if you’re not planning on farming here yourself, a coffee farm wouldn’t be a bad choice. Above all, unlike sugarcane farms, coffee farms don’t require many black slaves. If you hire a capable manager and employ about ten black people, you can make a decent profit.”

Tae-oh nodded and asked.

“But where does one acquire the black slaves to work on the coffee farm? Is there a specific place where they are traded?”

Black slaves were a common sight in Jamaica, but the process of buying them was unfamiliar to Tae-oh, who had never done so.

“Black slave trading usually takes place in front of the port or on ships.”

“Ah, are you referring to the ships anchored near the sea that are said to be undergoing quarantine?”

“Yes, you’re well-informed. They are loudly advertising that they will be holding a black slave auction starting next week, once the quarantine is over. So, you should inspect the coffee farm this week and purchase the necessary slaves next week.”

“Then, where can I find a farm manager? I believe it should be someone who knows this area well.”

Martin clapped his hands and said.

“I happen to know a suitable candidate. He was working as a manager on another farm recently, but the owner is returning to England, so he’s about to leave that position.

He can read and is good at numbers, so he’s quite intelligent. He’s worked on a coffee farm before, so he’ll be useful in many ways. How about hiring him on a trial basis?”

“Yes, that’s perfect. Thank you for the introduction.”

◈ The next day, St. Andrew.

Baron Palmer’s coffee farm was located in the highlands above 2,000m [6,562 feet] above sea level in the St. Andrew area, where the eastern mountain range of Jamaica Island is situated.

Tae-oh left early in the morning with the chief manager, Sebastian Martin.

But the sun was already high in the sky.

Yet the coffee farm was still nowhere to be seen.

“Is it still far?”

“Just a little further.”

Jamaica has a tropical oceanic climate, with warm temperatures year-round, averaging 27-36℃ [81-97°F] from April to October and 21-27℃ [70-81°F] from November to March.

But today, the sunlight was intense from the morning, causing the temperature to rise rapidly. As they climbed the steep slopes of the rugged mountain range, sweat poured down their bodies like rain.

After climbing for a long time, Sebastian Martin stopped, gasping for breath and holding his knees.

He pointed to the slope about a hundred meters ahead.

“Baron Palmer’s coffee farm is just below that slope.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Tae-oh, encouraged by Mr. Martin’s words, quickly ascended the slope.

As Tae-oh crested the hillside, he saw coffee trees densely packed below, on what appeared to be a sideways cut into the mountain.

When he raised his head and looked around, the mountain peaks soared high in the open space before him, and a blue mist enveloped the area, filtering the strong sunlight.

Tae-oh couldn’t help but exclaim at the scenery.

“Wow, so that’s why it’s called Blue Mountain.”

As he carefully made his way down the slope, he saw far more coffee trees than he had initially observed from above, with weeds growing abundantly beneath them.

White flowers bloomed sporadically on the stems of the coffee trees, which were at least 6m [20 feet] tall, and a strong fragrance permeated the air.

After a while, Sebastian Martin approached, catching his breath.

“Hoo-. I used to come a few times a year to remove the weeds, but I couldn’t come last year because I was busy with the sugarcane farm, so the weeds have grown so profusely.”

He mentioned that the trees had received little maintenance, but they looked quite healthy to Tae-oh.

Plop-

Tae-oh picked up some soil around a coffee tree and examined it.

It was very fertile.

As he surveyed the hillside, he noted that it was generally cool, but the conditions seemed ideal for growing crops.

He didn’t know much about coffee trees, but thanks to his grandfather’s large orchard, Tae-oh had some basic knowledge of trees and soil.

‘It seems like the harvest season has passed, but the coffee trees and their leaves look so vibrant and healthy?’

The dark green, glossy leaves caught Tae-oh’s attention.

Tae-oh asked Mr. Martin.

“When were these coffee trees planted?”

Mr. Martin scratched his head and replied.

“Well, I don’t remember exactly, but I recall the baron bringing black people and planting them about 4-5 years ago.”

“Are there any other coffee farms at such a high altitude nearby?”

“No, there aren’t. Most of them are on flat ground, or at most half the height of this place. To be honest, it was a big mistake for Baron Palmer to buy this land cheaply.

Growing coffee farms at such a high altitude makes it difficult to even cover the transportation costs. So, Lord Sanders, you should carefully consider whether you want to grow coffee here.”

‘······.’

At that moment, Tae-oh noticed several coffee beans that had fallen to the ground.

Most of them were rotten, but some were still in good condition.

He picked up a few and carefully examined their size and shape in his hand.

He also carefully noted the condition of the coffee trees and the surrounding environment.

‘No. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee will undoubtedly become the best coffee in the future. I need to visit other coffee farms and compare them quickly. If the differentiation is significant, I’ll proceed with growing coffee here.’

The VVIP member of the matchmaking company, who was thrilled to have secured the Blue Mountain coffee contract, had also proudly stated that the coffee grown near the altitude of 2,000m [6,562 feet] was the best.

Therefore, there was a high probability that this altitude where Tae-oh was standing was where the best coffee beans were grown.

Thump-thump-

Tae-oh brushed off a few coffee beans and put them in his pocket.

He then continued to examine the farm with the chief manager, Martin, before heading back down the mountain.