The Legacy by Howard Fast Page A

were married in June of 1959. Since it was a second marriage for each of them, the ceremony was held in the small chapel at Grace Cathedral, after which there was a very modest reception in Jean’s house on Russian Hill. Barbara would have preferred a simple civil marriage in the chambers of her father’s old friend Judge Fremont, but Carson explained to her that such procedure was out of the question. Carson’s mother, Lila Devron, felt that since ten years had passed since his first unfortunate marriage, this one should be celebrated in a manner compatible with the Devrons’ position in Los Angeles. But it was only six months since Dan had died, and Jean was firm on where and how the marriage should take place. In the end, there were present at the reception Carson’s mother and father, his Aunt Sophie and her husband, Jamie, and his sister, Willa, accompanied by her husband, Drew Anthony.
    On the Lavette side, the ranks were equally thin. Barbara’s son and her two brothers were present, Tom and his wife, Lucy, and Joe Lavette and his wife, Sally — which did not add comfort or warmth to the evening, since Joe and Tom barely knew each other, and Barbara and Tom had not spoken to each other for years before her father’s death. Nevertheless, Jean felt that some effort had to be made to confront the Devrons with a family situation and make them understand that the Lavettes of San Francisco — Seldons on the distaff side — were the equals if not the superiors of the Devrons of Los Angeles in wealth, appearance, and breeding. All of which Barbara found annoying and rather ridiculous; yet it was an arrangement which she was able to accept by placing herself in her mother’s position and thereby viewing it as a part of Jean’s valiant effort to survive her husband’s death.
    All things considered, it did not come off too badly. The Lavettes were polite and even gracious, to each other as well as to the Devrons, and the four Lavette women, Barbara, Jean, Sally, and Lucy, were well groomed and attractive.
    Above all, they were on their own turf. The Devrons had come up from the south, and howsoever they saw themselves, no native of Los Angeles can wholly escape a feeling of inferiority in regard to San Francisco. Whatever they may have felt about the woman their son had married, the fact remained that she was a Lavette, and that the Lavettes were one of the few California families the Devrons could meet on equal terms.
    In matters social as well as financial, the Devrons took their cue from Lila, and when Lila embraced Jean, the remaining icy edges were melted. Carson, standing with Barbara, remarked that his mother was a most remarkable woman.
    â€œThey both are,” Barbara said.
    â€œBut different, quite different, I imagine.” He was thinking of an evening a week past when Lila had told him, flatly, that the wedding would not take place. They were in Lila’s small sitting room, adjoining her bedroom in the house in Hancock Park. Lila had commanded his appearance, before dinner, just the two of them, herself and her son. Lila had opened the conversation by reminding Carson that he had never overtly disobeyed her.
    â€œWe’ve had our differences, we’ve argued,” Lila said, “but you’ve never done anything directly contrary to my wishes.”
    Knowing what was coming, Carson nodded and waited.
    â€œYou’re not making it easy for me.”
    â€œNo, mother, I’m not.”
    â€œVery well, I’ll come directly to the point. The wedding will not take place.”
    â€œJust like that, mother? Why didn’t you issue your ultimatum a week ago or a month ago?”
    â€œI admit to being a fool about it, but not enough of a fool to let you destroy yourself.”
    â€œYou realize that I don’t see it your way?”
    â€œOf course.”
    â€œYou can take me off the paper,” Carson said softly, “but