Safe was the last thing Effie Trinket felt at that moment. Once again, she lacked control over the situation and found herself in a social tar pit. Luceti; it tripped her up again and again like this.

"I'm sorry." This apology was much more hastily made. "I really must hurry. I had no idea of the time."

And she picked a direction to stumble off in. Any direction was safe as long as it led away from Richard Sharpe and all that humiliation.