Steve marries a woman from Indiana and continues his self-destructive pattern of behavior. Helen travels throughout the country as part of a singing duo called “The Dixie Melody Twins,” while Luke unsuccessfully pursues a career as an electrical engineer. An aging Gant sells the stone angel from his shop to the owner of a local brothel he used to frequent. Ben has multiple affairs with older women, primarily with a married Dixieland boarder named Mrs. Pert. Eugene, now working at Ben’s newspaper, explores his sexuality with a customer but runs away in shame; he continues to learn from the Leonards and becomes inspired by the works of Shakespeare and the Romantic poets.