The Turn of The Key

On her first night, after Sandra goes upstairs, Bill continues to pour wine into her glass, insisting it is his only chance to get to know her. Rowan feels he has a point so obliges, but she finds the intensity of his gaze and tone uncomfortable. He tells her she reminds him of the actress Anne Hathaway and wonders if they met before, moving around to her side of the breakfast bar. She finds herself in a scenario not unfamiliar to her, in which a male boss or employer hits on her. Bill touches her bottom lip and she stands up quickly, spilling wine in the process. She cleans it and says goodnight, running upstairs to her room. She feels relieved and finds the room to be a comfortable place of refuge where she can be herself.

Once in her room, she processes her disappointment. She worked so hard for the job and thought it was perfect. Bill’s behavior feels, she says, like “a kick in the guts” (96). Her concerns about ghosts are quickly replaced by cynicism. Glancing around her dark bedroom, she notices a censor. Disturbed by the thought that it could be a camera, she covers it with a sock.