He Opened a Matchmaking Agency in 18th Century London - Ch. 6
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- He Opened a Matchmaking Agency in 18th Century London
- Ch. 6 - Who is the Perfect Guy?
Theo politely asked the baroness.
“Madam, could you please step out for a moment? I need to have a private consultation with Miss Godwin.”
“What? A private consultation?”
In this era, a private consultation without the involvement of parents was a very unfamiliar concept when it came to marriage.
“It’s my unique approach. By consulting individually, I can understand the preferences of the prospective couple, which leads to much better results. Of course, I will consider other environmental factors to find the most suitable match.”
“Oh… yes.”
With a reluctant expression, the baroness left the study, and the one-on-one consultation with Lydia Godwin began.
“Miss Godwin, I imagine it wasn’t an easy decision to seek me out regarding your marriage concerns, was it?”
Lydia smiled shyly and began to speak.
“Yes… when my mother suggested meeting another matchmaker, I flatly refused. It was already the fifth time. But when I heard that Mr. Theo Sanderson would be the one to arrange it, I was truly surprised. And when I confirmed through Lord Wellesley that Mr. Sanderson was indeed the person I knew, I decided without hesitation to meet you.”
“I see. Thank you for thinking so highly of me.”
“In fact, a month ago, I attended your lecture on the institution of marriage at Almack’s Club, and I was deeply moved. I secretly admired you. When I heard that someone like you would be matchmaking, I became curious about what might happen.”
It seemed that the lecture Theo gave at Almack’s Club left a positive impression. Thanks to this, they could proceed with the consultation with the most crucial element, trust.
“Thank you again for your kind words. Then, could you share your current situation and feelings honestly? The reasons behind the delay in marriage, your thoughts on marriage, and your personal ideals for a partner. Being open will greatly help in achieving a positive outcome.”
Lydia nodded with a look that acknowledged the difference.
The marriage brokers she had met previously only discussed her parents and dowry, never once asking her, the person directly involved, about her feelings on marriage or her ideal partner.
However, Theo Sanderson was definitely different.
“Yes. As you suggested, I will be completely open from now on.”
The more trust existed between a counselor and a client, the better the consultation results.
Lydia not only trusted Theo entirely but also showed a belief bordering on respect. It seemed promising for a good outcome.
“I was the editor of a women’s reading club called <Women in London>.”
Twenty-eight-year-old Lydia Godwin was the daughter of Baron Alexander Goodwin and a member of <Women in London>.
<Women in London> was a gathering for young women interested in academia and the arts, and Lydia had been actively involved as its editor for years, deeply engrossed in philosophy that explored the essence of humanity and thought.
Because of this, she considered marriage—where she was expected to live as a dutiful wife—as a form of constraint, a dreadful prison that stifled her life. She even pitied the women who frequented social clubs with the aim of marriage, thinking they failed to grasp the true value of life.
However, when the members she thought would stick together for life began to get married one by one, even her younger sisters, she found herself fearing her own solitary, aging situation.
“Suddenly, friends who had always been my support started getting married one by one. Then, last winter, even my last remaining friend, with whom I had promised to stay together forever, got married. I truly felt like a complete outsider. And when the publication of my book, into which I had poured all my passion throughout my twenties, was canceled due to harsh criticism, I completely lost my confidence.”
Expressions revealed a person’s emotions. No matter how much one tried to hide it, a comfortable atmosphere and a gentle nudge to those wounds would bring out the emotions they wished to conceal.
The corners of her mouth drooped slightly, and her eyelids were subtly relaxed, showing a lack of strength.
‘A state of deep anxiety and sadness…’
Lydia’s expression subtly betrayed her current melancholy, despite her efforts to maintain composure.
She skillfully controlled her micro-expressions with a strong will, to the point where only a trained psychological expert could detect them.
‘She’s an exceptionally intelligent and rational woman. But she believed that marriage would mean the end of her philosophical studies, trapping her in a lifelong prison bound to a man. However, with her friends all married and gone, she’s become so withdrawn that even such constraints now seem enviable to her.’
If this were modern society, her situation might be lonely, but not necessarily painful.
But 18th-century England was a completely different story.
For a woman to remain unmarried and single in this era often meant a life that could become miserable.
It would be a different story if she didn’t have financial worries, but in 18th-century England, unmarried women had little to no inheritance rights.
Even in Lydia Godwin’s case, all of her family’s wealth would go to her youngest brother.
She could survive by working as a governess or a nanny, but such positions were looked down upon at the time, making them difficult choices for someone of noble birth like her.
Thus, most noblewomen who remained unmarried spent their lives in their family homes, enduring a lifetime of disdain and disregard.
In rare cases, a woman might marry a man of modest means whom she wouldn’t have considered before, but such a choice could still be a better fate than enduring mistreatment at home for a lifetime.
Theo took a careful look at Lydia’s appearance.
Her intelligent and clear eyes, sharp and elegantly defined nose, slender face, and long neck naturally exuded an understated grace.
‘She’s incredibly attractive and beautiful—she just doesn’t realize it. And she’s knowledgeable, articulate, and exceptionally strong-willed. You can tell how brilliant she is after just a few words.’
Marriage could indeed bring her unhappiness, just as she feared, especially for a woman like Lydia with a strong intellectual and determined nature in such an era.
However, if matched with a man who aligned with her preferences, interests, and mindset, she could lead a much happier life.
Fate was difficult to encounter, but once the ideal partner was found, the connection ignited instantly—something Theo knew well from experience.
*
After the one-on-one consultation ended, Baroness Godwin returned to the study.
With a worried expression, she began to speak.
“Will our daughter… be able to marry? She’s already older, and with her younger brother’s wedding next year, our finances are tight, so we can’t provide much of a dowry…”
Her unfinished words revealed many thoughts.
During her speech, her upper lip twitched slightly, and wrinkles briefly appeared around her nose.
‘Disgust.’
When people felt disgust or revulsion, their upper lip often rose involuntarily, and this fleeting expression crossed the baroness’s face.
It seemed that the baroness was more concerned about the shame her family might face than her daughter’s sadness.
‘Well, for most mothers in 18th-century English families, family honor was far more precious than their children, so it’s understandable.’
This might explain why there had been a certain distance between mother and daughter when they first entered the study together. The issue of marriage seemed to have created an invisible psychological barrier between them.
Fortunately, her feelings of disdain seemed mild. If her daughter met a good match, the baroness’ negative feelings would likely disappear, and their relationship would improve.
The real issue was money.
A small dowry.
This era was far more materialistic than modern times. Just as men without wealth faced challenges in marriage, women with small dowries also struggled.
Especially as the era of aristocratic privilege solely based on status faded, noblemen sought wives with dowries that matched their own wealth levels, or at least well-off gentry (new capitalists) without titles who could provide a substantial dowry.
However, with Lydia’s looks, such concerns seemed less pressing.
It might be unfortunate for women with average appearances, but a woman with Lydia’s level of attractiveness could find a match among wealthy nobles or affluent gentry who wouldn’t focus too much on her dowry.
Yet, her age was a hurdle. During this period, it was common for men to lose interest when they learned a woman was well into her late twenties.
‘It’s like a sort of first-round elimination. At just 28? But this can be resolved. All I need is to find a man who values mutual attraction. Matchmakers overlook this and just reject based on age, so there’s no opportunity to meet.’
With limited medical technology and shorter life expectancy, people married younger.
Moreover, the constant uncertainty of losing heirs pushed families to seek early marriages to ensure the next generation.
However, in the upcoming Victorian era (1837–1901), societal issues with early marriages emerged, and the legal marriage age was raised to 21 for both men and women.
As a result, the average marriage age for women rose to around 23–24, and many women married in their late twenties.
But since this shift hadn’t yet taken hold, Lydia’s age remained a disadvantage.
So, the key was to find a man who wouldn’t mind her age.
Given Lydia’s temperament, it was crucial to find the most suitable partner for her.
If not, she could end up in a marriage full of arguments, trapped in a life-long misery.
No matter how favorable the conditions of a couple, if their emotions didn’t connect, discord could easily arise, leading to an unhappy life.
‘Preventing unhappiness and gifting a happy life—that’s why I dedicated my youth to the matchmaking business. Alright, let’s give it our best shot. I can’t let such a pretty and intelligent young woman at just 28 give up on life.’
*
After Lydia and Baroness Godwin left, Theo spent a long time contemplating while holding his notebook, which contained notes on Lydia’s characteristics and behavior.
Theo had deliberately asked various questions to keenly observe Lydia’s habits and personality traits.
Through those questions, he could identify her character traits quite deeply.
A trained clinical psychologist could discern much about a person’s nature and characteristics in just about 10 minutes of conversation.
‘It seems I’ve separated most of her key traits. Ah, but I think there was someone in the club whose personality matched Lydia’s well… who was it again?’
Though he had been closely observing the unmarried male members of the Intelligence Club, he hadn’t systematically organized his notes, making it hard to recall immediately.
Then.
Suddenly, a name flashed into Theo’s mind.
‘Ah, right! Viscount Edward Monson!’
Theo quickly opened his notebook and began jotting down the key characteristics of Edward Monson that came to mind.
Though he hadn’t spent much time conversing with him, based on Theo’s extensive matchmaking experience, he felt confident that the unique qualities of Viscount Monson would complement Lydia’s personality perfectly.
‘The proud and aloof Viscount Edward Monson.’
As he listed the Viscount’s traits, his memories of their conversations came vividly to life.
Despite his handsome appearance and an annual income exceeding 10,000 pounds (around 1.5 to 2 billion won), the Viscount had remained single, much like Lydia, and even declared his intention to stay that way.
‘I remember him complaining that, despite meeting many women, none of them seemed to meet his standards.’
He even joked that if Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of beauty, appeared before him, he would still be unmoved unless she possessed the wisdom of Athena as well.
His confident demeanor and words left a strong impression on Theo, allowing him to recall many of his characteristics.
Though his pride was apparent, there didn’t seem to be any significant flaws in his character.
In fact, his broad knowledge and progressive outlook made him appear ahead of his time.
Coming from a good family, with looks and wealth to match, he had attracted many women’s attention, but his intellectual curiosity seemed too high for most, making conversations with them rather dull for him.
‘Whoa, these two seem like a perfect match! Now, if I can just increase the emotional compatibility score…’
He began to input the emotional traits of both individuals into the matchmaking model he was developing.
In modern times, the result would be calculated in a second with a computer, but in this era, he had to do it all manually.
As he hurriedly tallied the matching scores, Theo’s eyes widened.
‘Unbelievable… they match on 91 out of 100 criteria!’
The compatibility score exceeded 90%.
Even though the matchmaking model was in a simplified form, a score above 90% was undeniably impressive.
A smile crept onto Theo’s lips.
‘Bingo! Miss Lydia Godwin, it seems I’ve finally found your match, hehe.’
Indeed, fate could be unpredictable.
It appeared that the cold and self-assured Viscount Monson had finally met his match.