Maestro Nikola:
Work together? Undoubtedly she has made some minor strides in her studies that might possibly be of use to me, but...
My pride would never allow me to conclude some sort of agreement with her. In fact, I can barely stand to even speak to her!
Unfortunate, perhaps...
"Perhaps you could enter into a contract with me, not with her. Then I will also make a separate contract with her. With me as a go-between you won't have to deal directly with each other."