Pa shook his head.

"We should have known," he said. "He's done so much - so many horrible things. Lied sometimes to get his way with all this."

A pause.

"To himself more than anyone. He probably got it in his head that he was doing Conner a favor, keeping him out of the fight so he didn't get hurt."

The expression on Pa's face made it clear how disgusted he was at that. And how angry. His anger was quiet but not less ferocious because of it.