The Last Temptation of Pellew

 

This scene takes place after the Indy rescues the Duchess, Hornblower et al in episode 3

 

Captain Pellew visits the Duchess’ chamber to check if she is alright. They begin talking about what it was like being stranded in Cadiz.

 

“I trust the food they had was of sufficient quality?” queries Pellew.

 

The Duchess grimaces and replies, “Don Alfredo’s chef couldn’t cook a decent meal to save his life, Sir Edward, not at all. I’d rather eat horseradish for all eternity than go back to dining in Cadiz.”

 

Pellew: “I’m sorry to hear Your Grace suffered so.”

 

Duchess: “Don’t be, Sir Edward. The meals were bad but at least they had the most delicious selection of fruit that you’ve ever tasted. I gathered a basket of fruit for the men while I was out on one of my walks. Unfortunately the men didn’t seem to like fruit. I came back to find it had been turned all into mush. Which was a pity; they really ought to have tried an orange.”

 

Pellew: “Why an orange in particular, Your Grace?”

 

Duchess:  “Because, Sir Edward, the oranges in Cadiz are second to none.” She subtly tilts her torso forward in the hope that Pellew will catch a glimpse of her rising and falling décolletage. “Such firm, ripe, well rounded oranges” says the Duchess slowly, and winks at him. She continues: “Have you ever cupped a large, full one in your hand and caressed its slightly dimpled fleshy skin with your fingertips? Or held it close to your face so that the navel was just grazing your lips?”

 

Pellew (indifferent): “No – no I haven’t.”

 

The Duchess: “Do you like to suckle them and taste their sweetness?”

 

Pellew: “Yes, - I mean – I suppose that would be quite nice.”

 

At this point the Duchess leans forward even further and gently takes hold of Pellew’s wrist. At this point Pellew realises she wasn’t talking about oranges at all, and to his horror he blushes.

 

The Duchess fondles Pellew’s sleeve with its shiny cufflinks. “Such beautiful cufflinks” she says.

 

“Yes” says Pellew, “they were a present from my wife, Susan.”

 

At this mention of his wife she looks awkwardly at him; she straightens her back and gives a small, tight, smile.  “Yes – I bought a set just like those for my husband. And now if you’ll excuse me, Sir Edward, I really must get some rest.”

 

Pellew: “Won’t you be joining us for dinner?”

 

Duchess: “No, really, I can’t. Just have one of your servants deliver a light meal” and she quickly shuts the door.

 

********

 

The dinner that evening is attended by Pellew and two other captains.  None of them get along with each other. The topic being argued is battle tactics in which Pellew has had very little to say. He has been absent minded all evening.

 

Suddenly Pellew senses one of the Captains is repeating a question to him. “What do you mean?” Pellew snaps; he resents being caught out, even in the middle of a dull conversation.

 

“It’s perfectly simple Captain. For what cause would you commit the entire British Navy?”

 

Pellew facetiously replies: “Capturing Cadiz, for I hear they have the best selection of oranges in the world.”

 

The other two Captains, though recognising the importance of Vitamin C in preventing scurvy, think this is an imprudent answer, and say so.

 

Pellew goes on: “Have you ever noticed how perfectly round and textured oranges are?”

 

The first Captain (sneering): “Oranges are just orange, Captain Pellew. There’s nothing special about that.”

 

“I must protest, Jacob” says the second Captain pompously “but as the only Captain among you to have travelled with the great botanist Joseph Banks, I can assure you an orange is not orange at all, but tangerine.”

 

Jacob (sarcastically): “Well if you’re going to be so technical about it then at least get it right - oranges are not ‘tangerine’ but a burning sunset colour – even Pellew here would agree with that.”

 

Pellew (Curtly): “No - and I would not think to be so fastidious as you two gentlemen are  -  but if you ask me for an educated answer I’d inform you that oranges are amber.”

 

The other two Captains scoff loudly in disagreement and the three of them spend the remainder of the evening arguing over the colour of an orange.