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Eldon's mansion, located on the outskirts of the city, was an enormous, sprawling affair, and as they made their way inside, Hope couldn't help but admire the place. Her good mood was soured, however, by the fact she couldn't comment on the opulence, and her delight soon turned dour again. The other women all looked as sour as she, but, forbidden to speak as they were, they couldn't express their frustrations. The best they could do was roll their eyes at one another, though they were very careful to make sure they did this when Eldon's back was turned.
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The inside of the mansion was just as gorgeous as the outside, but it was the staff who caught Hope's eye. All of them, man and woman alike, seemed to be made out of pure silver, with glowing, electric blue eyes that gave the impression of stripping one's skin until one's soul was bared to the light of day, with nowhere to hide. But it was the fact all of the silver people were naked as the day they were born which caught Hope's attention. Her eyes widened, and she could almost hear Aoife's silent fits behind her, but none of the women said a word, not wanting to be dressed down again. The silver people, in any case, didn't pay the Earth women any more mind than they might have paid to insects, and Hope felt sick all over again.
Eldon led them upstairs, and when they came to the first floor, a gorgeously appointed corridor, he turned to them. "At least you've all got the good manners to keep your mouths shut," he said, his voice cold. "Though I don't appreciate the eye-rolling; I thought you were all somewhat mature, and not schoolgirls in the bodies of women. Never mind; you can roll your eyes all you want. Just bear in mind that your future is still very much up in the air. My staff have their orders; you will not speak to anyone unless spoken to, even when you're in the same space together. That goes for conversing with one another; my staff have eyes everywhere. What you do in the privacy of your own rooms is your business, and you can yap to the walls all you want. Yes, Aoife, that includes you," he added, with a dire glare directed at the Irishwoman. Aoife looked like she wanted to melt into the ground, but Eldon spared her no pity. "This floor of the house has been given over to your use for the time being," he said, the implication being their continued presence would be contingent on their good behaviour. "All your meals will be delivered at set times, and you're free to roam this floor to your hearts' content. But remember; when you're not in your rooms, you're not to say a word to anyone unless you are addressed directly. Do I make myself clear?"
Once more, the women grumbled assent, and Eldon nodded, before snapping his fingers. Twenty staff appeared as if by magic. "You'll be escorted to your rooms now," he told the women. "I have to go see the council to let them know you've been delivered safely, but if any of you think you're off the hook..." He tapped his temple. "I have a direct neural link to all my staff. I'll be able to home in on the culprit if I should hear anything untoward, and I will come down on all of you like a ton of bricks. I hope I don't have to break off my meeting and come here to have your ungrateful backsides dropped back in the United Kingdom, because I will be very angry if all this comes to naught." Having delivered this final salvo, he stalked off, and Hope swallowed as the staff approached the silent group of women. One by one, they wer led away, and Hope let out a soft sigh once the door of her room had closed behind her. She didn't hear the snicking of a key in the lock, but when she tried the handle, it wouldn't budge, and her heart sank as she dropped to the floor, letting her head rest against the wall. This was worse than being under her father's roof, and she closed her eyes, deciding the best plan, for now, was to do nothing, praying that Eldon was simply suffering from stressed nerves. The alternative - that this was the real Eldon they were all now seeing - did not bear thinking about.
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