Henry Devereaux Supports His Son-in-Law Russell Barnes and Sends Him to Atlanta

William Henry Devereaux, Jr.’s bond with his son-in-law Russell combines genuine affection with a willingness to intervene when Russell’s marriage to Julie falters. William listens as Russell explains the couple’s financial strain and his own sense of responsibility for their rupture; later, he finds Russell staying with Meg Quigley and arranges for him to leave town. Sending Russell to Atlanta is not a rejection but a difficult act of care, and William’s regret as the plane departs reveals how much he values their companionship.

A Familiar and Affectionate Bond

William’s regard for Russell predates the marital crisis. He recalls that they are alike, and that he has sometimes felt a more instinctive understanding of Russell than of his own daughter. Their shared history includes a basketball game in which William beat Russell; Russell’s awkward shot sent the ball onto the roof, leaving William to retrieve it while Julie watched. The recollection gives their relationship a teasing, domestic ease that persists even when the circumstances turn serious.

That ease coexists with William’s awareness that Russell sees him as an unlikely person to consult. Russell has waited more than an hour to talk, and William recognizes the strangeness of seeking marital advice from a fifty-year-old English professor with conspicuous personal troubles and eccentricities. The mismatch does not keep Russell away. William, for his part, listens rather than treating Russell’s vulnerability as a reason to dismiss him.

Russell’s Account of the Marital Crisis

On the deck at home, Russell explains how financial anxiety has come to dominate his view of life with Julie. He focuses on a chair she bought for the guest room at a bankruptcy sale: it was marked down by sixty percent but still cost three hundred dollars, an expense that seemed impossible given how little money the couple had. For Russell, the purchase crystallizes a wider fear that they cannot afford the life they are trying to build.

Russell also describes finding Julie on the floor after their conflict. He has not moved beyond that moment and imagines himself responsible, although he cannot explain how he could have caused what happened. William initially wonders whether Russell’s silence about Julie’s present condition means he does not care. As he listens, however, he recognizes another possibility: Russell remains fixed on the scene and has not mentally reached what came after it. William understands that the separation involves decisions on both sides, including Russell’s choice to punish Julie and Julie’s later choice to exclude him.

Russell says he wants William to hear his side, while acknowledging that William must believe Julie. He also promises to repay every cent that William and Lily lent the couple, even if he and Julie do not stay together. The promise makes clear that Russell is thinking not only about the marriage but also about his obligations to the family that has helped him. William does not offer an easy resolution; he hears Russell out while remaining uncertain about what can be known from either account.

Discovery and a Decision to Send Russell Away

Later, William discovers that Russell has been sleeping in Meg Quigley’s room. The discovery sharpens William’s anger, but complicates it too: before finding Russell, he has used some of Russell’s clothes and reflected on their likeness. William’s closeness to his son-in-law does not make him blind to the situation, but it does make a simple judgment difficult. His anger is entangled with the affection he already feels for Russell.

William tells Russell to get dressed, shower, and pack what he will need in Atlanta for a week or so, perhaps longer. He explains that asking Russell to leave does not mean he dislikes him; he believes that time away may improve things and knows that he himself will feel better with Russell out of town for a while. Russell points out that he lacks both the fare and money to live on there. William has already decided to help: he books a flight through Pittsburgh, leaves the return date open, and writes Russell a check for expenses. He advises him to find inexpensive accommodation and call Julie after arriving.

Russell does not make a scene or resist the plan, though he shows resentment by refusing to let William carry his bags. His reluctance is practical as well as emotional: he is being sent away without knowing how long the absence will last, and he cannot finance the trip himself. William nevertheless presses ahead, balancing his judgment about what the situation requires against the need to provide the means for Russell to go.

Separation, Regret, and the Meaning of Support

At the airport, Russell complains about commuter flights and asks whether William expects Julie to misunderstand his stubbornness as virtue. William’s advice is direct: he wants Russell to call her. Their exchange retains the familiar humor of people who know each other well, even as the journey marks a real break from the household and from the unresolved marriage. William wishes Russell luck with a seriousness that feels almost like a prayer.

Once Russell is on the plane and the door is secured, William immediately regrets having sent him away. He had believed that Russell’s absence would make things better, yet he also recognizes that Russell is good company and wishes he had someone with him for the drive home. That quick reversal defines the relationship’s tension: William’s care takes the form of an intervention that separates them, while his affection makes the separation painful. He neither treats Russell as simply guilty nor excuses the circumstances around Julie’s crisis. Instead, he offers listening, financial help, and a temporary route out of town, then feels the cost of the decision as soon as it is carried out.