Episode 1: 15 minutes length, m4a (7.5MB)
"She shifted her gaze and became aware of a man a few seats distant. He held a copy of that day's Le Monde and a glass of red wine sat on the table. He sipped at it occasionally, interspersed with puffs on his cigarette. She'd seen many men in Paris, but few that exuded such an air of self-assurance. Every once in awhile, he would raise his gaze from the newspaper to survey his surroundings. She dropped her gaze back to her book, not wanting to be caught staring."

A man sat down across from him, his suit seeming ill fitting compared to the crisp, well-tailored look of the first man. In the swiftly dimming light she had a hard time making out his features, though the streetlights illuminated the face of the first man, touching on his cheeks, forehead and nose, but leaving his eyes in shadow. His dark hair was slightly curled and she wondered if it was purposefully dishevelled, or if it was just a happy accident."

While the two men were occupied, she reached for her sketchbook and a pencil, wanting to capture the dramatic effect of the light before it was lost. She was able to sketch a competent outline of his face, but trying to add some sense of his personality eluded her. "

The inaugural podcast - a reading of the first nine pages.

Episode 2: 15 minutes length, m4a (23MB)
“What brings you to Paris, Sophie?” The sound of her name, said so casually by this man, affected her more than she wanted to let on.

“I'm doing research for my thesis - and having a bit of a holiday at the same time, I suppose.” He eyed the books she was carrying."

“Carrying those around the city all day doesn't seem like much of a holiday.” He put a hand on the small of her back and steered her toward the tables of a nearby café. “Now, set those down and we can work on the holiday part of your trip.” She set her books on the seat of one chair, while he pulled out the other for her to sit. He waited until she was settled before he seated himself across from her."

Pages 9 through 19, plus some news and updates.

Episode 3: 15 minutes length, m4a (22.5MB)
“You’re far too flattering to me.” He sighed, though Sophie couldn’t quite tell if he was amused or annoyed.

“Just because others have not deigned to compliment you does not mean that my compliments are any less true.” She met his gaze, and his eyes seemed overpowering, boring into her insistently. Her gaze went skittering off into the street.

Marc reached across the table and seized her chin in two fingers, turning her gaze back towards him.

“Confidence, ma cherie,” he reminded her. “That’s all you need.” He let go of her and leaned back in his chair, taking another sip of his wine."

A bit of news, plus pages 19 through 29.

Episode 4: 20 minutes length (9.7MB)
“We must have a drink together later,” Sera said to Sophie. “But, first, you must play with me Marc.” She turned to Marc, and even Sophie looked at Marc, backing up Sera’s request.

“As you wish, my dear. I shall be back shortly, Sophie.” Sophie nodded and returned to her seat as Sera and Marc walked up to the stage. Marc seated himself in the cellist’s spot, carefully tightening the strings of the bow, then tuning the instrument to his specifications. Sophie watched in silence.

When he finally drew the bow across the strings, her breath caught in her throat. Sera began to sing, a melancholy lament which tugged at the heartstrings, but Sophie continued to watch Marc. His fingers moved surely on the strings with a seemingly effortless skill. The dark blue light shone on his hair and on the cello, but his face was shadowed. Her gaze occasionally strayed to Sera, but it was Marc that kept her attention.

A bit of news, plus pages 29 through 35.

Episode 5: 30 minutes length (14.2MB)
"Sera heard Jeremy behind her and gave a start as his fingers brushed the hair away from her neck. Instead of the expected pressure of his lips there were only his fingers and she turned to face him, slightly puzzled. His smile, as she lifted her eyes to his face, was slight and enigmatic. He drew her back to the bedroom doorway, grasping both her hands in one of his. With unexpected swiftness, he lifted her hands above her head and pinned her body against the doorframe.

"She submitted easily, used to the sort of power games that her patrons sometimes liked to play. Overall, they were harmless, a way that let them dominate at least one part of their otherwise ordered lives."

A bit of news, some birthday wishes, a short history of my novel, and pages 36 through 57.

Episode 6: 25 minutes length (12MB)
“Shall we adjourn to a table?” His voice was lower than before. “It would be more amenable to conversation.” She turned fully to him with a practised smile. She’d taken her measure of him in the past few minutes.

The cut and quality of his three-piece suit indicated expensive, yet appropriately modest, taste and the shirt, sans tie, brought just the right casual addition to his careful look. If nothing else, he was able to afford the purchase of a few rounds of drinks. Perhaps, if he were so inclined, he would be more generous later. She hoped that would be the case, as the knowledge of her next rent and her insufficient bank account hovered pointedly in the back of her mind.

News, and reading of a reworked section from the previous podcast.

Episode 7: 17 minutes length (8.1MB)
“It’s not often that I get to sing to Marc’s accompaniment.”

“He sounds charming,” Adriana said pointedly, waggling her eyebrows at Sophie, who blushed slightly.

“He is,” Sera agreed matter-of-factly. “I defy any woman not to fall in love with him when he’s turned on that devastating charm.”

“I wish I knew a man like that,” Adriana said with a theatrical sigh. “A man to sweep me off my feet. Do you think I’ll be able to find a guy like that while I’m here?” she asked, partly to them, but mostly rhetorically.

“Be careful what you wish for,” Sera said solemnly. “Not every man is what they seem.”

Brief news, and reading of 10 pages.

 

Episode 8: 16 minutes length (7.2MB)
“We couldn’t keep them,” Claude said. The static and pops made it hard to hear his next words. “They were onto us – far too quickly.”

“Where are they?” Marc's voice was clear and deceptively calm.

“I had to stash what I’d grabbed, but when I met up with Michel later, he told me he’d had to throw his in a bin.”

Marc felt his ire rise, but he controlled it.

“Does he remember which bin?” he inquired coolly.

“He said it was gone when he came back this morning,” Claude reported, a note of fear creeping into his voice. Marc’s next words were hard, grim.

“I see.” Normally it amused him to have a man cowering at his displeasure, but these developments put a damper on that amusement.

 

Episode 9: 16 minutes length (7.7MB)
Marc took a sip of his drink and it felt smooth and cool as he swallowed, a perfect complement to such a lovely evening. He knew that he had little planned tonight, but at the moment he was unconcerned. He turned his gaze away from the view and back into the flat. His cello caught his eye and he felt the urge to play. Last night's performance with Sera had put him in the mood. It had been a few weeks since he'd last played and his fingers tingled to feel the strings under them again.

He left the window, setting his glass down on a side table. He drew out the case and took out the cello and its bow. He tightened the bow string, then drew out a chair from the table. After a couple minutes of preparation, he began his customary warm up. It segued into a piece by Bach.

 

Episode 10: 16 minutes length (7.5MB)
She noticed Marc’s sleeve beginning to slide down his arm, close to the soapy water. “Wait,” she said, and he paused in his work while she carefully re-rolled his sleeve back to his elbow. She felt out of sorts being so close to him in this confined space, and she fumbled with the last roll of his sleeve.

“Merci,” he said, and she glanced up. He was very close and she suddenly felt overly warm. The space around them seemed smaller than before, his presence expanding, holding her there. Her gaze skittered about, resting on his arm, his shoulder, and the tanned bit of his chest that showed at the vee of his shirt, until she finally worked up the courage to meet his eyes.