The choices are more cut and clear regarding what skills do what compared to other choices.
There’s are a couple different ways.
If you try to grab for the hair stick, you need bold > 40 and soothing < 30.
To tell him it’s on reserve, you need persuasion > 40 and soothing > 35.
And to steal it from him, you need skullduggery and observe > 40.