- 12 -
Jules watched Phileas sparring with Rebecca in the large barn. Although Fogg's mind knew fencing, Verne's body did not and Fogg was trying to get accustomed to fighting with less than his usual mastery. It helped pass the hours until they could move on Gregory, and besides, they could not expect to simply walk in, make the switch and walk out again. There would undoubtedly be some fighting involved and Phileas wanted to be as prepared as possible.
It was still decidedly strange to see his body walking around without him, Jules mused. He thought back to his feelings when the Count had announced his devilish plan. His first concern hadn't been for the fate of the world or even what would happen to himself. No, the thoughts that had tortured him most during that long night had been of what would happen to Rebecca, Fogg and Passepartout. The Count would never have passed up the opportunity to kill them, and in Verne's body he would have had completely unguarded access to them. Jules shuddered to think what awful plots that twisted mind would have come up with in order to hurt and kill his friends. Suddenly he needed a break, and, remembering some bookshelves in the farmhouse, he went to find something to distract his mind for a while.
The pair broke off as he left, and Rebecca made to go after him, but Phileas stopped her.
"Give him some space, Rebecca," he said quietly. "He's had a lot to deal with. Let him have some time to himself."
"Phileas, what's it like?" she asked hesitantly. She wanted to know, but not at the risk of upsetting him.
He didn't pretend to misunderstand. "It's odd, Rebecca, very odd. You see yourself in the mirror every day, but this…" He gestured, searching for words. "Seeing my body there and yet it isn't me inside it. And then looking down and these hands, this body, are not mine. When I speak I hear a different voice. I can't really describe it." He paused and then added with sudden mischief, "Just be glad it wasn't you standing there, Rebecca. Imagine how that would have been!"
They laughed together for a moment. Then Phileas stepped back, took his position and said, "En guarde", and they began practice again.
In the farmhouse, Jules perused the titles on the shelves and was delighted to find some books by his friend Dumas. Selecting one at random, he settled down in a cushioned window-seat in the sun and began to read. It occurred to him at one point, that he must remember to tell Dumas all about his current adventure - when it was successfully completed. He had no doubt that the large Frenchman would find it highly amusing.
Work at the farm flowed around the four visitors as the day wore on. Passepartout ventured into the kitchen and assisted in preparing the noon-time meal. Afterwards, Verne nodded off over his book, curled up in the window-seat, for all the world like a cat, thought Rebecca as she silently backed out of the room. She mentioned it to Phileas and agreed with his suggestion that they retire to the Aurora and do the same. There was no telling how long the night would be and they would need all their wits about them.
Late in the afternoon they gathered together again with Robertson and began to make plans. He was very knowledgeable about the area and provided excellent, detailed maps. He had even spoken to a local builder who had once done repairs to the house when it was still inhabited and had drawn up a rough layout of the building. By the time they left the farmhouse, everyone knew exactly how they were going to proceed at least up until entering the mansion. From that point on events would depend upon what they found.
