A Lasting Impression

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© 2011 by Tamera Alexander

Published by Bethany House Publishers

11400 Hampshire Avenue South

Bloomington, Minnesota 55438

www.bethanyhouse.com

Bethany House Publishers is a division of

Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan

www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

Ebook edition created 2011

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

ISBN 978-1-4412-3396-7

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, King James Version.

Scripture quotations identified NLT are from the
Holy Bible
, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Cover design by Jennifer Parker

Cover photography by Mike Habermann, Minneapolis

Cover background photograph by Photolibrary/Flirt Collection

Author represented by Natasha Kern Literary Agency

Praise for
A Lasting Impression

“Tamera Alexander has once again written a novel rich in storytelling and history, peopled with living, breathing characters who made me laugh, and cry. Better than sweet tea on a veranda, 
A Lasting Impression
 is a winner. I want to live at Belmont!”

—Francine Rivers,
New York Times
best-selling author of 
Redeeming Love

“Tamera Alexander paints vivid scenes, not with oils on canvas but with words on the page, as she sweeps us away to the cafés of New Orleans and the hills of Tennessee. In Claire Laurent we find a true artist, ever doubting her talents, ever questioning her calling. And in Sutton Monroe we meet a hero whose bright mind is eclipsed only by his tender heart. A lovely story, sure to please anyone who treasures a good romance.”

—Liz Curtis Higgs, 
New York Times
 best-selling author of 
Mine Is the Night

Beautifully written and brimming with “real life” history,
A Lasting Impression
captures a slice of American history, and an era the South will not soon forget. Nor should we. As Director of the Belmont Mansion for the past twenty-five years, I highly endorse
A Lasting Impression
and invite you to visit the home of Mrs. Adelicia Acklen to see, in person, the beauty and elegance that defines both Adelicia’s home, and this novel.

—Mark Brown, Executive Director, Belmont Mansion, Nashville, Tennessee

“
A Lasting Impression
 is a wonderful start to a new series. With writing that is rich and textured, Ms. Alexander paints a portrait of Belmont and Nashville after the Civil War that will pull you in and almost make you believe that you are living there yourself.”

—Robin Lee Hatcher, bestselling author of 
Belonging

Praise for Tamera’s Timber Ridge Reflections

“Alexander exposes pain and loss, then paints a picture of true redemption and trust. In her iron-willed characters we find the rugged individualism and courage that the people of the American frontier are known for, and fans of inspirational historical fiction will be moved by how friendship turns into desire.”

—Booklist (Within My Heart)

“Alexander crafts a pleasing and well-written romance that is filled with adventure and intrigue. Subtly weaving in the main character’s steadfast faith in God, the book is full of faith and full of life. Readers who enjoy romantic novels but also want to feel inspired will definitely enjoy this satisfying read.”

—Publishers Weekly (Within My Heart)

“Tamera Alexander paints scenery with the written word, and her characters, stories, and insights linger long after the book is read.”

—Cindy Woodsmall,
New York Times
bestselling author of
When the Heart Cries

For Deborah Raney

In lieu of the world’s best Peanut Butter Twist,

I offer this . . . and my gratitude, dear friend.

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Page

Endorsements

Dedication

Epilogue

Dear Reader

With Gratitude to . . .

About the Author

Books by Tamera Alexander

Back Ad

Back Cover

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Ephesians 2:10 nlt

Preface

M
ost of the novel you’re about to read is purely fictional, though there are bits of real history and people woven throughout. For instance, there really is a Belmont Mansion in Nashville, built in 1853, that still stands today. And Mrs. Adelicia Acklen, a character in the novel, is the dynamic, born-before-her-time woman who lived there.

In addition to Adelicia Acklen, many of the other characters in the novel were inspired by real people who lived during that time—people who worked at Belmont and who visited there. But the characters’ personalities and actions as depicted in this story are of my own imagination and should be construed as such.

The first time I stepped across the threshold of Belmont Mansion and learned about Adelicia and her extraordinary personality and life, I knew I wanted to write a story that included her, her magnificent home, and this crucial time in our nation’s history. After over two years of research and writing,
A Lasting Impression
is the culmination of that dream, and I invite you to join me as we open the door to history once again and step into another time and place. Thank you for entrusting
your
time to me. It’s a weighty investment, one I treasure, and that I never take for granted.

Thanks for joining me on yet another journey,

Tamera

1

French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana
September 7, 1866

C
laire Laurent studied the finished canvas on the easel before her, and though
masterpiece
hardly described it, she knew the painting was her best yet. So why the disappointment inside her? The fiendish fraudulence trickling its way through her like tiny beads of sweat beneath layers of crinoline and lace. She ran a hand through her curls and dropped the soiled paintbrush into a cup of turpentine, full well knowing why. And knowing only deepened her guilt.

Her gaze fell to the lower right-hand corner of the canvas, the one reserved for the artist’s signature. She hadn’t yet been able to bring herself to sign this one. Not with
that
name. Because of all the landscapes and still lifes and portraits she’d painted, none had truly felt like hers . . .

Until this one.

A breeze, moist and swollen, heavy with the certainty of rain, wafted in through the open second-story window, and she peered from her bedroom over the town, breathing in the tang of salty air moving in from the gulf. She viewed the Vieux Carré below, the Old Square she’d painted so many times she could close her eyes and still see every detail—the rows of pastel-colored buildings clustered together and edging the narrow streets, their balconies of decorative black cast iron boasting hanging baskets that cascaded with late summer blooms. The combination lent a charm and beauty unique to this part of the city.