Sentence:  "That" the young Mr. Churchills liked—but they did not like him coming round of an evening and drinking weak whisky-and-water while he held forth on railway debentures and corporation loans. Mr. Barrett, however, by fawning and flattery, <WSD>seemed</WSD> to be able to make not only Mrs. Churchill but everyone else do what he desired. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To appear; to look outwardly; to be perceived as.