The Turn of the Screw

Certain that Flora has always wished to return to the spot where Miss Jessel appeared, the governess heads directly to the pond. There is no sign of Flora, apart from the vacant site where the little boat should be moored. Concluding that Flora has rowed across the water, the governess strikes out along the overgrown perimeter of the pond, with Mrs. Grose trailing behind. They discover the boat tied to an old fence and pass through the gate just as Flora emerges from a copse. She remains motionless, smiling, as the women silently approach her. Without a word, Mrs. Grose hugs the child and takes her hand while the governess watches. Flora finally speaks, asking where Miles is. The governess reacts to these words “like the glitter of a drawn blade” and impulsively replies, “I’ll tell you if you tell me— […] where, my pet, is Miss Jessel?” (82).

As the governess utters the name that has always remained unspoken, Mrs. Grose cries out and Flora’s face tightens into a glare. The governess herself then gasps and points across