Albatross

Emelia begins working as a cleaner at the seaside hotel owned by Jonathan Fischer. On her first day she enters the corridors and unexpectedly witnesses Jonathan masturbating in the attic, an event that unsettles her and foreshadows the complicated dynamics to come.

Beth invites Emelia to dinner with the family. During the meal, Emelia confesses that she is writing a novel and feels the pressure of living up to the Conan Doyle name. Later that day, Jonathan offers her private creative writing lessons.

One day, Jonathan drives Emelia to the grave of Arthur Conan Doyle, and their relationship begins in earnest as they become lovers. Their bond develops with secret meetings in the attic, fueling a dangerous closeness that will complicate both families.

Emelia begins mentoring Beth and encourages her to explore a more rebellious side, overlooking expectations. The two girls form a close friendship that becomes a counterbalance to the adults' tensions at the hotel. Their bond deepens as they navigate school and self-discovery.

Accompanied by Emelia, Beth travels to Oxford for her entrance interview. The first night, they go out for a drink and end up partying with other students, during which Beth has casual sex. The next morning they discover the interview has been moved up, and Emelia offers her support.

Back at the hotel, Emelia wrestles with guilt over her affair with Jonathan and begins distancing herself from him. The emotional strain continues as Beth pursues her own ambitions, while the hotel grows tenser around their tangled relationships.

Emelia deals with the death of her grandmother, a blow that deepens the emotional weight around her choices. Days later, Beth falls ill, and Emelia suspects she might be pregnant, prompting her to fetch a pregnancy test kit. The situation heightens the stakes for everyone at the hotel.

While delivering the pregnancy test kit to Beth's room, Emelia is interrupted when Joa confronts Beth about the test, revealing Beth's sexual activity. Later, Jonathan admits that he has been having an affair with Emelia, and Joa kicks him out of the house, tearing at the family’s already frayed dynamics.

The day after the confrontation, Beth rejects any connection to the Conan Doyle line, insisting she is not a Conan Doyle. Emelia seeks guidance from her grandfather, who begins to unveil a more complicated truth about her ancestry.

Emelia's grandfather reveals that her mother lied about being descended from Arthur Conan Doyle, but he encourages her to pursue writing regardless. He explains that the Conan Doyle name has become an albatross that is finally lifted, freeing Emelia to chase her own voice.

Jonathan gives Emelia his laptop, urging her to continue writing. She begins drafting her novel in earnest, using the laptop as a tool to translate her ambitions into a tangible project while the hotel’s tensions simmer around them.

Emelia has her work printed at a copy shop and spots Beth wearing her 'I Put Out' top, a vivid reminder of their complicated friendship. Beth is being driven to Oxford by Jonathan, and Emelia smiles with mixed emotion as she heads off on her bicycle with the printed draft, a novel titled 'Albatross' in hand.