138 SIXTH BLAST

"That's nothing new." Her words are clipped, controlled.

Pericles exhales carefully. "About you. And a rebellion," he clarifies.

An almost imperceptible tightening of his wife's lips tells Pericles that he's gotten to her.

"Oh don't be ridiculous." Now her words flow like molasses. "You know I'd never-"

"Of course not. I wasn't accusing you of anything, dear."

She flinches at the word. Pericles tries not to feel satisfied. He lets the stifling silence carry on for a long, long time before breaking it himself.

"But you would tell me anything, right? If you felt... restless. Or if you heard of any legitimate troublemakers about."

He meets her eyes steadily and waits until she breaks the stare. "Without question," she says carefully.

He doesn't believe her for a second; she's always been a liar and a schemer. "Good, good. How are you then, my dear? It must be difficult, sitting around doing nothing all day."