According to the schedule, today was the day that his cousin was coming in for her interview and contract negotiations. Scotty kept himself busy and out of sight as best he could. The new managerial role he'd taken on for the Boutique made it easy for him to slip in and out of his own office as needed. But the hour was growing late and he knew it must be time for his cousin's departure. He wanted to catch her before she left, a simiple question on his mind. Finding himself standing just outside of the main entrance way, he waited.

Isabella Granger wasn't entirely sure what was going on with the Belle Boutique. She had thought she was here to sign a contract and arrange for her photograph to be circulated among the agency's clients. What it had turned out to be was a session of psycho-analysis that L.B., the owner of the agency, insisted upon before anything else could take place. Having spent the last hour being examined by a professional, Isabella was allowed to leave, and informed that L.B. would be in touch over the next couple of days.

Somewhat put out, she stepped out of the elegant building, and instantly found herself confronted by a cousin she hadn't seen in years. "No need to ask what you're doing here," she commented in a cool voice, assuming - as anyone would - that Scotty was one of the agency's clients.

Scotty steeled himself for the worst when he saw the door open. Knowing his cousin as he did, he expected just what he got: cool and indifferent attitude. "I heard a rumor," he commented, falling into step beside her with his hands in his pockets. "I just wanted to confirm. Your being here says a lot." He stopped then and reached to place a gentle hand upon Izzy's shoulder. "I know we've never been close, but why, Izz" If you need the money, we've family enough who will be happy to give it."

She gently pulled her shoulder out of his grip, her voice low and soft but no warmer as she met his eyes. "Oh yes, because confirming the assumption made by the entire family that I have neither the intelligence nor the inclination to support myself is going to make my life so much easier, isn't it, Scott?" She glanced down at the sidewalk briefly. "I have something to offer that men will pay a vast amount for. I can fund digs with that money, I can pay my mother rent. I don't need to crawl to Caroline for a supplement to my allowance."

"Hey, easy," he backed off, hands up to signal he was unarmed. He wasn't going to attack her, physically nor verbally. "Not everybody sees it that way, Izz. I think you're doing important work and I'd be happy to help fund your digs. And if Auntee needs help with rent, I'm looking for a new house soon. She can live with me, rent free. You don't have to sell yourself, Iz. That's all I'm saying."

Isabella shook her head. "You're willfully not listening, aren't you?" she accused him quietly. "I am trying to pay my own way, to get independent means with what I have to offer. My mind and skills, they are not enough to earn money, so I am turning to the only other thing of worth in this ridiculous city that I do own. I do not need rescuing, Scott. And I have no intention of becoming a whore."

He sighed, never having been up against such a brick wall before in his life. She brought the W word into play and he shrugged. Pleading hadn't helped, offering to fund her digs hadn't helped, so playing nasty was all he had left. "Once a whore, always a whore, Izz. Once you cross that line, you'll find it easier and easier to go back to it until that's all you do. It consumes you. And dammit, lose your virginity to somebody who deserves it. Not top dollar."

He hadn't done himself any favors by showing off that inside knowledge. Isabella had been almost friendly, for her, until that point. As soon as Scott mentioned what it was she was in the market to sell, as soon as he announced it on a public street, he lost whatever points he'd earned by showing concern for her. "You work here?" she hissed, her dark eyes suddenly icy with fury. "You?"

Dammit. He turned to her and didn't back down an inch when she hissed at him. So the cat's angry and posturing, he wasn't going to let it stop him. "You were going to find out, anyway." He shrugged. "I just don't want you to make the same mistake a lot of girls make when they feel they have no other choice. There's always another choice, Izz. Use your brain. Get a loan, a grant, something. You don't have to do this."

"Do you have any idea how much thought I have already put into this?" she snapped at him, bristling at the assumption that she was just some stupid woman who didn't use her brain at all. Never mind that she was older than him, that he had no say in what she did with her life. "But thank you for pointing out to me how faulty my research was. Please inform your employer that I will not be pursuing a contract with The Belle Boutique, due to personal conflicts."

Scotty sighed, counted to ten and his temper still wasn't calmed. "I'm sure you put a lot of thought into it, Izz. But if you want to tell Lora that you're not going to sign that one time deal, I'm not going to do it for you. Fight your own battles, coward." He stepped forward again and whispered into her ear. "Good luck with finding an offer as good as the one she was giving you. One time deal?" He snorted a derisive laugh. "They'll have you on your knees the rest of your life."

"Well, then, I'll just have to change my tack, won't I?" Isabella jerked away from Scott as he leaned into her, lifting her hand to signal for a taxi that was passing by. "Perhaps then Caroline's little drudges will stop hounding my every step and trying to make me beholden to her just because she's the Old Man's favorite."

"I'm not one of her drudges, Izz. Never have been." Part of him was glad to see her go, another part terrified of the news he had for Lora. He put his hands into his pockets and sighed. "Take it easy, Izz. I guess I'll be seeing you around."

As the taxi drew up, Isabella threw Scott a withering glance. "I very much doubt it." She lowered down into the car, slamming the door behind her. A moment later, the cab had driven off, leaving Scotty on the sidewalk. Evidently this business meeting had not gone at all well.

Scotty waved half heartedly as the taxi drove off. He stood on the sidewalk and watched as it disappeared down the road. With a sigh, he then opened up the door and walked back inside. Not only was Lora going to be furious with him for scaring off Izz, his family was going to soon find out what his true line of work was. Walking to his office with shoulders slumped, like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, he slipped inside and closed the door behind him. Not the best start to a working week.

((A very quick scene, but fun! Thanks, Scottster!))