Richard turned to Julia with a look that could slice glass, scanning her from top to bottom, then back up again, with visible disgust. She resembled a drenched alley cat who'd tumbled in a pile of muck.

"Then what is wrong with you?"

Before Julia could string two words together, Annabelle piped in with a sweet, venom-laced voice, beating her to the punch.

"Mr. Barton, your girlfriend, Miss Julia, claimed she could outshine me with her party tricks. Said she could balance drink glasses on her ...