Because Lina had eaten far more fruit than her tightly laced corset could comfortably accommodate, she remained in the dining room for more than an hour before she finally felt capable of standing up. Even then, she moved cautiously, unwilling to discover what might happen if she tried to straighten her body too quickly. The corset pressed painfully against her waist, while the enormous crinoline restricted her movements so thoroughly that she felt as though she were trapped inside a decorative cage.
She eventually gave up trying to move around and sank into a large, comfortable armchair. Leaning back, she stared at the elaborate chandelier hanging above her head and allowed her thoughts to wander.
