Violet and her siblings prepare the pasta by following the recipe. Violet does her part by roasting the garlic and chopping the anchovies. As they worked together, they began to feel less miserable, allowing them to speak of memories they had of their parents and of Justice Strauss. This joyful moment of reminiscing was short-lived for just as they placed the pudding (for dessert) in the fridge to cool, Olaf barged into the kitchen, infuriated that the children didn't prepare roast beef. He threatened Sunny, holding her up high until his troupe asked for him. As they leave, a took Violet's face and told her not to anger Count Olaf, or he "might wreck that pretty little face." Violet shudders and trembles with fear and revulsion, possibly at the thought of Olaf actually doing so.
Terrified by the thought of angering Olaf a second time, the children carefully serve the dinner they made. While they set the table, Violet finds herself wishing that they'd bought poison at the market as well. When the troupe finished eating their dinner, Olaf told them that they're excused from the troupe's performance in order to clean up and then go straight to their beds. Klaus angrily corrected him by stating that they only have one bed and can't use their fortune to purchase another, causing Olaf to angrily slap him across the cheek. Afterwards, the troupe left the room and Violet gave Klaus a hug to help him feel better, but she and Sunny end up crying with him.
The next morning, Olaf's note instructed the children to chop firewood. As they do so, Violet and Klaus discuss whether they should stay with such a horrible man or take their chances on the streets. They also imagined what they could buy with their parents' fortune if they had it now to pass the time and bring back their sense of optimism. Violet finally decided to go and talk to Mr. Poe, believing that if he is told how horrible they were being treated, he'll take them out of Olaf's custody. They couldn't find a map of the city so they wandered through the banking district until they find and Mr. Poe's office. To their chagrin, he refused to listen to them. Instead, he simply explained that Olaf is acting in loco parentis, meaning he can do what he pleases as their parent. As expected, he also ignored Klaus's bruise because to him, Olaf's treatment was justified. Violet, angry and frustrated, leads her siblings back to the neighborhood, wishing she could invent something that would take them out of there. Instead, the children spent the rest of the afternoon at Justice Strauss's library.
Olaf tries to win the Baudelaires over to his side using the power of breakfast.
The children are surprised to find Olaf waiting for them at breakfast the next morning, with raspberries in their oatmeal. Olaf tells them that Poe called him about their meeting and that he wants the three of them to feel at home with him as their father. He tells them that they will participate in his next play, called . Klaus and Sunny will be extras, while Violet will play the bride. Violet, who would much rather build the sets, feels horrified at the idea of marrying Count Olaf, even if just for pretend, and tries to get out of it with flattery. Olaf instead strokes Violet on the chin and threateningly tells her that he can order them to participate as their guardian.
Violet is convinced Olaf is up to something, but they are afraid to directly ask Justice Strauss, as Olaf has also cast her in the play, or Poe, who might call Olaf again. They decide to go to Strauss's library and read up on the law, but after reading boring law books for hours, they find nothing useful, and Violet leaves to help Strauss in the garden until the comes to fetch them and orders them to not return to the library.
Klaus smuggles out a book on nuptial law, and the next morning awakens Violet in a panic, explaining that Olaf is planning to marry her for real; the only requirements for marriage are that the groom and bride say "I do" and sign the certificate in their own hands in the presence of a judge, and though Violet is underage, she can marry with the permission of her legal guardian- Count Olaf. The two of them decide to get Sunny and tell Poe, but find their sister missing. Olaf then leads them outside and shows that he has dangled Sunny in a birdcage from his tower window, and will drop her unless Violet agrees to marry him. Violet, though terrified, agrees, but ties up her hair while thinking of ways to rescue Sunny.
Notes on Violet Baudelaire
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