Phineas is Eli's oldest son, who is a lawyer and the manager of the McCullough fortune. Never having had a taste for ranch life, Phineas moved to Austin for college and never went back. Even though he doesn't live on the ranch, he is the glue that holds the McCulloughs together. He is Eli's confidant, Sally's best friend, a warm presence for his niece and nephews; and can commiserate with Pete about how to manage their enigmatic father. But Phineass charming exterior masks a perilous interior pain. He hides his homosexuality from everyone except a few trusted members of his family. In Texas, in 1915, being gay was a capital crime.