"She did WHAT?!" Lena cried when Louise showed up empty handed to the theater the next day. "That's horrible! We all know how much you loved that violin!"
"I still have the pieces," Louise nodded. "I know no power in this world could fix it, but there's always hope right?"
"Whatever makes you feel better at night." Lena shrugged. "How much do violins cost anyway?" Louise told her, and the girl pretended to faint on the spot. "That much?!"
"For a good one," Louise shrugged. "Raoul just told me how sometimes violinmakers offer their services for instruments. I'll have to check their catalogue or something. Personally I hate these new modern violins." She sighed. "Maybe you can borrow one from the orchestra." Lena suggested.
"Maybe." Louise nodded. "I was about to talk to them. Want to join me?"
"Louise?" she looked up. Raoul stood nervously at the doorway. "Come to my office please,"
Louise raised an eyebrow at Lena, who quickly gave her a hug before moving off to the dance hall. As she walked over to the office she drew a breath before knocking three times on the door.
"Come in," Raoul opened the door. "Louise I just want to say how sorry I am about your violin. I know how much that violin meant to you."
Louise gulped and nodded, allowing him to continue. "Right now we're still tight for money. As much as I'd love to get you a new one, I know I wouldn't be able to replace it."
"Thanks," Louise sighed. "You read the contract with Monsieur Renaldo? I don't have a single penny to spend,"
"Wasn't the violin insured?"
"Didn't have the papers," she explained. "It was a gift."
"I see," he nodded. "Well, the least I should do is give you a job." He handed her a piece of paper. "We're piecing together acts for our Christmas show."
"And you want me to star in it?" Louise smirked.
"Well, yes." Raoul paused.
"I thought it was a charity concert!"
"Partially," Raoul explained. "There isn't anything that needs more money than our little theater!"
"I won't take money from that charity then," Louise declared
"I expected as much." Raoul nodded. Then he reached around for another sheet of paper. "That's why I have another idea. This is our violinmaker, Reginald DuFont. Or at least he will be – we're working on terms and conditions right now – but a way to speed things up is through his daughter, Marie." Louise gestured for him to go on. "She's 8, and needs a violin teacher. What better than to have our most successful violinist in the theater?"
Louise narrowed her eyes. "You know I hate your business schemes." She turned around.
"Did I mention how much he is willing to pay?"
She stopped and reluctantly turned around. Snatching the sheet of paper she scanned it quickly. "Wow. That much?"
"Minus one tenth of it for the theater," Raoul added. "And two tenths for tax."
"That's still a lot of money," she mused. "Fine. I'll do it." She looked around dubiously. "So when do I start?"