Gwendoline woke up and looked around her, wondering where she was.  She had fallen asleep on the lawn, near the extensive rock garden that had been made from the spoil from building her lovely new swimming pool - the pool which her darling friend had helped her to dig.

It was ten months, now, since she had received the shocking news of Harriet's gruesome murder by rebels in the country whose people she had worked so hard to help.  She had been on the point of leaving for the airport to be reunited with her, when her phone had rung.  Jim had heard her awful shriek  and had come running to find his wife lying senseless on the floor.

Almost ten months on she no longer felt the horrible despair that had gripped her for weeks after that dreadful news, but she was still sad whenever her eye lighted on any of the many reminders of her dear friend - reminders which were everywhere to be seen.

What had caused her morning nap to be interrupted was the sound of a disapproving and indignant voice.

"Well - I don't believe it!  Disgusting!  It really is disgusting.  Have you no shame to lie around like that in a public place, young woman?"

It took a few moments for the shades of sleep to disperse and Gwen looked up to see that a group of people, three women and a man (to whom she took an instant dislike) were standing looking down at her.

"What's the problem - you've lost me, I'm afraid?" she replied.

"Lying there naked in full view of anyone who might pass by - that's the problem, my good young woman!"

"Why don't you go and fucking well  play with yourself, you fucking insolent cunt?  This is my property on which you - you obnoxious piece of shit are tresspassing.  So piss off and let me get back to sleep.  And don't, on any account, even think about  having a nice day!"

Having delivered herself of this characteristically foul-mouthed rebuke Gwendoline prepared to go back to sleep.

"I'll not be spoken to like that my good  young woman, and I'll thank you to cover up or I'll call the police"

"Fuck off"

"I'm not joking young woman!"

"You are a fucking joke - you arsehole!  If you don't piss off and take your  lady friends with you, I'll personally kick you off my property."

The infuriated man strode towards her at this and promptly found himself lying on his back,  with Gwendoline's shapely and bronzed foot pressing warmly onto his throat.

One of the three ladies spoke.

"I'm sorry about my brother.  I have to say  that you are a very perceptive young lady, having delivered such an accurate character analysis on the basis of so short an acquaintance.  Can we start again, please?  I rather think we are lost."

Gwen smiled and the lady continued.

"We knew perfectly well that this was a private garden - if an extremely large one, but my brother hates private property.  It's like a red rag to a bull to him.  Please don't let him up for a bit, my dear - he looks in his proper place down there!"

Gwen's good humour was restored by this and she obligingly kept her foot on the man's throat as the lady asked her where exactly they all were.  When the young Countess replied, she blushed and smiled.

"Of course.  How silly of me! You're the Naked Countess that the tabloids were so full of  for a while after that wonderful nude ball you organised for the village  last year!  I bet that was a night to remember!"

"It was pretty wild!  I won't ever do anything like that again, but I'm I glad I did it just the once!"

The two chatted for a while and the other ladies joined in.  Finally Gwen took her foot off Arthur's throat, bent down and helped him to his feet.

"I'm sorry this got off to such a bad start.  You really are all very welcome to stroll around the grounds.  Maybe you might care to look over the house.  It's not that grand, I'm afraid, but I have a few valuable paintings and various objets d'art which are worth the seeing if you all have time.  I can arrange for a bit of lunch if you like"

Even the truculent Arthur was not immune to Gwen's charm when it was aimed full force, directly in his direction and the party agreed to accept her kind invitation.

..............................................................................................................................................

The party had looked around the gardens, guided by the still naked Gwen.  Despite the warm weather, all but one had declined the invitation to swim in the pool,  and Arthur's sister and the Countess had enjoyed a cool and nude swim together.

"I find the best part of the day is the morning when I come here and swim before all the cares of the day overwhelm me.  I helped to excavate this pool, you know,  together with a wonderful friend, whose lovely precious memory I recall every time I come here"

"You are a very fit and athletic young woman.  Something tells that the life of ease   is a thing you want no part of, my dear, despite your  rather elevated station in life."

"No.  Almost three years ago, a friend of mine had a rather wonderful idea and we found ourselves having to go through all sorts of hardship to realise her - and my - dream.  Since then I have come to value hardihood and physical endurance.  I like to flatter myself that I could easily survive without all the trappings of civilisation.   I see the others look impatient.  Shall we go and look around the house - my beloved  home?   I hope you don't mind a naked guide!"

......................................................................................................................................................

Arthur, surprisingly for such  a man of the people,  showed great interest in the portraits of Gwen's ancestors.

"Strong men, all of them.  I have to say, Your Ladyship, you're a worthy successor!  Must be tough - knowing you have all that lot to live up to!"

Gwen was a little taken aback by this.  These portraits were not too highly rated or valued and she had long been inclined to take Harriet's view that they should be sold and replaced by something less grim.

The Claude Lorraine and the Rubens attracted the due praise and then the party stood before the portrait of Harriet that Jim had painted all those months ago. Gwen, as ever when she looked at this , sobbed to herself.

"What a lovely painting and what an incredibly beautiful girl!" Arthur's sister was fulsome in her praise. Gwen liked her more and more!

"Yes.  She was a very dear friend.  My husband painted that three years ago this Autumn and sold it for a good price.  She had just become my dearest friend after a stupid time when I had been unforgivably spiteful to her. My darling Harriet died ten months ago and I offered the buyer any money he cared to ask, just to have her picture here"

Arthur looked more closely at the portrait.

"You say she died ten months ago?"

"Yes."

"Well, I saw that girl only ten weeks ago in Africa.  I'd swear it was her.  Your husband makes her look a lot more frail than she is now, but that's the same girl!  I'd stake my last penny on it."