"Don't have to?" He taps his chin, smiling. "Spoken like someone oppressively, irritatingly courageous. Being a coward is not about having the will to be a coward, my dear Beth. I did not choose to be a coward. I was born to it, as you were born to that prickly courage of yours."

He presses a hand to his heart, and tries to pretend for a moment as though he's not lying. As though he's not about to march off to...whatever it is. Death. Misery. Betrayal of the cruelest sort. To the nest of the enemy. For a moment, he just wants to make-believe that he's truly a coward. That he'll go back to the tent tonight, and sleep off his hangover, and for the next day - week - month - year - he'll do nothing but endure the menial labor of the camp, and keep teasing her, and flirting with Sonia, and ducking more serious duties. That it can all stay like this.

Will you be wounded when I am brave, Beth? He doubts it very much. Beth, at least, is someone he won't have to worry about - thank God. Sonia will be wounded, Lakshmi, but practical Beth who doesn't even like him...She'll be all right. That's something. That's something that gives him strength.

"So don't blame me."