The Princess and the Pauper (Arabella) novel Chapter 1920

Cornelia beckoned with a warm smile as she entered the garden and spotted her granddaughters, "Bella, Alma, you're both here. Perfect, come over, my dears."

Arabella had only wandered off a short distance when she heard her grandma call. She quickly returned to Cornelia's side.

"Grandma Cornelia, you needed to see both of us?" Alma's face broke into a smile as if nothing had happened earlier.

"Well, my dears, I have a friend who's a violin maestro, and she’s been on the lookout for a protege. She messaged me to ask if I knew anyone who might fit the bill. She's looking for real talent."

Cornelia still held her smartphone, the chat window open, "Bella's already a master in her own right, way beyond my friend's skill level, so it got me thinking about you."

She patted Alma's head affectionately, "You've loved the violin since you were a little girl, and you even took lessons from Oswald, but he never truly passed on the torch. My friend, she's more skilled than Oswald, and I think you could really flourish under her tutelage. Given some time, you could do great things."

"Me?" Alma was caught in a bind. She couldn’t admit that she could no longer play the violin.

"Bella here is Jamie Noelle. Since she's around, why don't you play something for her? Let’s see where you stand. My friend has very high standards, and even if you're talented and skilled, she might not be convinced."

Cornelia was about to fetch a violin when Alma quickly interjected, “Grandma Cornelia, I’ve decided not to pursue the violin professionally."

"Why ever not?" Cornelia was clearly surprised.

"I've set my sights high, you see. I had even thought about studying under Jamie Noelle." Alma revealed with a playful grin as she spoke, "But I've realized that’s not really my calling. So I've made up my mind. Music and arts will remain hobbies, and I plan to focus on building a different career. But thank you, Grandma Cornelia, for always thinking of me when opportunities come up."