The Unsworth Manor Nudes

By P.Z. Walker

Unsworth Manor, home of Cedric, Earl of Unsworth, his wife Margarete and their children.

Margarete, of royal German descent, receives an invitation to visit her distant relative, Emperor Wilhelm II. They decide to make the journey.

It will introduce them to a lifestyle that none of them had ever heard of before, but that will never leave them anymore.

• Language: English
• Publisher: P.Z. Walker
• Release date: Aug 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370136780

P.Z. Walker

Naturist activist and author, luring people into naturism one story at a time, using many genres, from mystery through history to fantasy.

Book preview

1. The news

The dust settled on the road over which the delivery man's cart had just left. The very person who brought supplies as well as news and mail. Cedric Unsworth, earl of Unsworth, watched the tranquil scene as he did so often. There was something in the settling of dust that made him feel peaceful, as if things returned to the place where they belonged so there was order again. Involuntarily he glanced at his cuffs, wiping any dust off them that might have landed there. Dust on clothes just wasn't acceptable.

Will that be all, sir? Tom, the servant who had brought the mail in, was still in the room.

What? Oh. Yes. I'm fine, Tom, thank you.

Very well, sir. I'll leave then.

Cedric didn't register those last words. It was something Tom was used to. The earl of Unsworth continued his pondering in solitude. Life wasn't bad for him and his wife and children, he'd already decided. They lived in a nice countryside manor, they employed a few servants and around the house lay a large, well taken care of garden. A handsome amount of money because of his heritage had made that Cedric hadn't had the need to do physical work in his life, unless he chose to. So far he'd always chosen to leave that to others; to the people who were built for that.

Sir? Would you like your tea here?

The simple question pulled Cedric back to the room. What? Oh, certainly. His eye caught the small stack of envelopes on the table that required his attention.

Very well, sir. Molly, the maid, curtsied and left the room, to return with a tray with tea and some scones. Have you heard, sir?

Heard? Heard what?

While Molly prepared the tea for him, she told of what she'd heard in town. The emperor has been to a shipping wharf, sir, and he helped work on a few boats. The words were simple enough but they shook Cedric. The man had done what? As if she sensed his surprise, Molly continued. Mick from the grocery store had heard about that. It was in a newspaper from abroad, sir, including a photograph. Will that be all, sir?

Cedric inspected the table. That's all, Molly. As she left, he sat down to sip some of his tea while the news spun through his head. Would he really have done that? That wasn't typical behaviour for rulers, but Wilhelm had never been a typical ruler. Still the news didn't feel right, and not simply because it had been one of the maids who had mentioned it. He often got interesting news from the maids and the servants; things that usually didn't reach people in higher positions, even as lowly higher positions as earls. This news however could not be possibly be true but there was only one person he could ask to validate it. He stuffed one of the scones in his mouth, washed that down with the remainder of his tea and left the table. He paced through the corridor and up the stairs, and went into his wife's dressing room without announcing himself. Cedric had become accustomed to doing that as his wife was very easy going with things like that, which was rather remarkable considering her background. That background however was Cedric's very reason to talk to her. Gretchen, he said to his wife who at that moment was hidden behind a maid who was fixing her Lady's hair. You will not believe what I have just heard.

Margarete Unsworth, wife of the earl of Unsworth, almost jumped up from her chair, twirled around her maid and said, I know! Isn't that special? The maid didn't find her lady's action all that special as the work she'd done on her mistress's hair was literally falling apart.

"You call that special? I call this very... wait, how do you know what I just heard? One of the maids told me."

Gretchen smiled and sat down again. I know. One of the maids told me that one of the maids told you. I'm not surprised.

Cedric approached his wife who for now sat quietly again to have her hair done. Probably again. Gretchen was a very active person who at times made him jump. Why are you not surprised the maids told me?

They always do, silly, said Gretchen as she smiled at him in her mirror. But that is not what I wasn't surprised about. The fact that he does such a thing is what doesn't surprise me.

Gretchen. Please. Cedric considered going down on one knee for her and beg for some mercy on his brain's account, but with a maid present, who'd then be looking down on him, he decided against that. "The fact that Kaiser Wilhelm II is your far-away cousin in law or something gives you certain privileges, but the far away in this makes a difference now. You can't know him that well."

"Wilhelm is not my far-away cousin in law. As you know very well, Liebchen, I am Margarete Victoria of Prussia, twenty eighth in the line to the throne of Germany. Gretchen frowned at her words for a moment. Twenty eight does sound a like lot, but that is not the point, dear Cedric. The point is what he does. And this must impress you, otherwise you would not be here talking about it with me."

Impress? Shock, you mean. Cedric had not been prepared for that choice of words. He wasn't impressed in the least. He is an emperor, for God's sake. This should not be permitted. And Molly told me it had been in the papers, with a photograph!

We should discuss this more in private, don't you agree? Over dinner perhaps? A private dinner for a change. We've had so many people visiting lately that I feel in need of a bit of privacy. Look here. Gretchen stuck out her feet and wiggled her toes. It was so like her to do that. My feet are in need of a little walk this afternoon. Would you like to join me? Or are you too busy?

No, no, I'm not too busy at the moment, Cedric mumbled. His mind was still processing the news that he'd heard about the emperor of Germany.

Good. I think we're done now, Beth. Margarete got up, her hair halfway done as before, and walked to her shoe cabinet. Then we can go for a walk now.

As the couple wandered through the gardens and also the fields beyond their home, Gretchen kept talking about her distant cousin. I never knew Friedrich Wilhelm had it in him to actually do some work at a naval construction wharf, she said, touching the very heart of Cedric's earlier commotion. He does want to make Germany great again, and putting people back to work is a good way to do that, Cedric.

You are right, my dear Gretchen. Cedric was careful about how to approach this subject as it was close to her heart, and she was close to his heart as well. "But an emperor who picks up the heavy tools of a construction worker and starts building ships?"

You make it sound as if he built a whole ship by himself, dear. He probably took off his coat, soiled his hands, picked up a hammer and walked around with it, banging on something here and there. You have met him, haven't you? You must remember his withered arm. He can't have done any serious work on that wharf. Not for long anyway. Margarete smiled at her husband. Maybe we can visit him and Dona soon. Their latest letters invited us, you know.

I know, I know, Cedric said, hoping it sounded convincing. The letters from Germany often were very long and detailed, dealing with people and affairs he didn't know nor understood. Most of the time he just skimmed through them, skipped the long parts in German he didn't understand, and then he'd hand the letters back to Gretchen who would devour them several more times. He rather liked Dona, or Augusta Victoria as Wilhelm's wife was more widely known. Dona was just for the family. Cedric had never felt comfortable calling her Dona the few times they'd met, even through she had encouraged him to. After all, he had more or less accidentally married into royalty. Had he not been present at a banquet at the Royal Palace in London at the time Gretchen had visited her distant grandmother Queen Victoria, they would never have met. Queen Victoria of course was not her real grandmother but Gretchen always lovingly referred to her that way and it made Cedric smile.

"So that means yes? That's so wonderful, dear Cedric, I shall write to them instantly and let them know we are coming." Margarete stopped walking, her face lit up like the sun as she looked at him. It pleased him to see her so happy and here, out of the view of others, he felt safe to show her.

Yes. Write to them. We can travel to London by coach or perhaps even by train, and from there we can sail. It's been quite a while since we left the manor. The change will be good for all of us.

"That's so wonderful, Cedric Liebchen, Gretchen said. Max and Rose will love the idea as well. Max and Rose, more commonly known as Maximilian and Victoria Rosa, were their children. It will be good for them to meet their German family again. Their German isn't improving when all they speak is English." Cedric pointed out that English was the language of choice all over the British Isles. Gretchen responded to that by continuing their talk in German. Cedric always feared those episodes. She would pretend she didn't understand a word of his perfect English but that she had no problem with his broken German.

As they walked back to the house Cedric claimed that his jaws hurt from speaking German. Margarete showed some clemency then and 'allowed' him to speak English again. She however continued speaking German until they heard voices screaming. The children, she said with tenderness in her voice. Come, let's tell them about the voyage.

Miss Rose, Mr Max, I demand you come here this instant. That was the voice of Miss Nancy Farnsworth, governess to the offspring of the earl of Unsworth and his wife. Miss Farnsworth had a strong and clear voice that no one dared to ignore.

Yes, Miss Nancy, said two children's voices. Gretchen and Cedric waited behind a rosebush and smiled at how well-behaved the two were.

There will be no more throwing of sand, Miss Farnsworth commanded. You look worse than peasants at the moment. What would your parents say if they saw you like that? The smiles behind the rosebush froze.

Mama would compare us to pigs, Maximilian stated. You really look like a pig, Rose. Ouch!

Miss Rose, stop hitting your brother! A voice like a knife indeed, and it worked its miracles. The one slap was also the last one.

"He should not call me a pig. Er sieht ja selber aus wie ein Ferkel!"

This was the parental cue to step in because Miss Farnsworth possessed an absolute lack of understanding the German language. Rose, don't speak German in front of Miss Farnsworth, said Gretchen as they rounded the corner. "And don't accuse your brother of looking like a pig. Mein Gott, was habt ihr denn gemacht!" The state of the children, more mud and soil than anything else, made her ignore her own words.

My God, what have you two done! Cedric echoed his wife's words in English. He had no recollection of seeing his children this dirty ever before. There was no God around to tell them what had happened, but luckily they could count on the governess.

"They wanted to help in the garden, watering the flowers. That went well until Miss Rose explained she felt very warm. I suggested she should stop working in the garden and move into the shade, but Mr Maximilian helpfully started watering his sister who then returned the favour. Miss Farnsworth shook her head and looked very disapprovingly at the two. Max and Rose stared at the ground before their feet and said nothing, thereby affirming their wrongdoings. That was the beginning of the throwing of sand, Miss Farnsworth continued, in which they decided to involve me as well." The woman spread her arms as if Cedric and Gretchen needed that to see how dirty she'd become as well.

Cedric shook his head. Would they really have to take these two with them to Germany, to meet the German emperor? Kaiser Wilhelm would only be 'Uncle Wilhelm' to them, but still the idea was upsetting. It was Gretchen who solved the situation as usual. You two will apologise to Miss Farnsworth now. Gretchen used her 'German mother' voice which never failed. After they had apologised, the children were ordered to go to their rooms and make themselves presentable for dinner. They were to remain in their rooms until they were called.

Yes, mother. Two heads obediently bobbed and four feet then ran off. The children were remarkably quiet doing so.

After the children had disappeared, Miss Farnsworth apologised profusely for letting things get out of hand so dramatically and seemed on the verge of resigning. Cedric didn't want to hear of that, nor did Gretchen. Miss Farnsworth was a wonderful person, the children adored and usually obeyed her.

They are children, Gretchen simply said, and children sometimes do things we can't understand. She kept it to herself that she had done things as a child that should better be untold, even to Cedric. I hope you will stay with us, Miss Farnsworth.

If you so wish, milady. Nancy Farnsworth curtsied and then took her leave in order to make herself presentable again.

You are always so wonderful with them, Cedric said.

I know, said Gretchen who knew he also referred to Miss Farnsworth. It's the mother instinct, I think. You know, I think we should ask Miss Farnsworth to join us for dinner this evening.

And why is that? I recall you longed for a private dinner. Cedric was curious about her answer.

I think we should tell Rose and Max about the journey to Germany. And since they come with us, Miss Farnsworth needs to come as well. They are so used to her. Cedric had to agree that her reasoning was very sound.

After the main course of dinner Cedric announced the journey to Germany. Max and Rose were, as usual, well-behaved and didn't scream or yell when they heard about it. They sat on their chairs and were excited but that was it. Miss Farnsworth however looked quite agitated. We are going there again? The previous journey to Germany, many years ago, had not been kind to her. The ship they'd been on had been caught in a storm. Somehow Max and Rose had slept through all of that. Cedric and Gretchen had kept a stiff upper lip and had only disposed of their stomach's content once (and in private) but Nancy Farnsworth had been very sick. Even days after getting solid ground beneath their feet again, the poor governess had felt unstable and prone to dizziness. I am so sorry, Mr Unsworth, she immediately added. I didn't intend to sound ungrateful.

We understand, Miss Farnsworth. However, this time we'll be travelling in the summer so there should be little worry about storms. Cedric was glad about that as well because even though Gretchen and he hadn't been too bothered with it, it still had been unnerving.

Very well, sir, said the governess. How long shall we be gone?

We will probably be gone three to four weeks, was the answer.

Thank you, sir. I'll make proper arrangements then.

2. The journey