“How are you paying for three days at a lake resort, Mark?” I asked.

Mark didn’t look up from his packing.

“I have a small administrative discretionary budget from the school district,” Mark said smoothly.

“It covers travel and family support expenses tied to summer conference duty.”

“You told my father yesterday that we couldn’t afford fifty dollars for tractor diesel,” I said.

Mark paused, his thumb pressing hard into the leather strap of his duffel bag.

“Your father runs a farm, Nora, and farm expenses are his business,” Mark said.