The Lady Vanishes [antikvár]

Iris Carr had her first feeling of danger the day before it happened. She was usually safe in a crowd of people she called her 'friends'. Her parents were dead, and she had money of her own. There were always people around her. They thought for her, and she accepted their ideas. She felt that she was popular. At one time she was going to marry one of the crowd. Her photograph appeared in the newspapers. She was famous. Then they decided not to marry. Again her picture was in the papers. Famous again. Perhaps her mother would have smiled or cried at this. But her mother died when she was born. Iris was very well and happy when she had the first feeling of danger. It was at the end of an unusual health-holiday. The crowd found a beautiful village in a far corner of Europe. They moved into the only hotel for nearly a month. They climbed up mountains, swam in the lake, and lay in the sun. Indoors, they filled the bar, shouting against the radio. They paid well, so the smiling waiters always came to them first. This angered the other English people at the hotel. These six people thought that Iris was just like the others in her crowd - rich, young, and useless. Naturally they did not know how good she could be. She always paid the bill when she had lunch with her 'friends'. And she was kind when she noticed people in trouble. The crowd grew brown, they drank, and were happy. The married couples were all very friendly with the others. So Iris was surprised and hurt when one of the women, Olga, started shouting at her. 'You're trying to steal my husband,' shouted Olga.