Courting Ingrid Ivory Chapter 3 - Wed and Bed
Chapter Three: Wed and Bed
Author:lady_elizabeth2
Characters: Lord Beckett, Ingrid Ivory, Mercer, Charles Ivory, Charlotte Ivory, Frank, a very old priest and some OC maids.
Word Count: 2,580
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean and it's characters are not a creation of mine.
Chapter Summary: The marriage of Cutler Beckett and Ingrid Ivory and a scene with Charlotte and Charles Ivory.
Thanks: goes to madame_doodle for editing this and giving me a small and very enjoyable history lesson. I'd also like to thank twix5000 for bringing my inspiration back. . . again.
Whilst Ingrid slept on the other side of London in her warm, comfortable bed, Charles Ivory paced behind the desk in his study in the freezing night air. The floor boards - long overdue for replacement - creaked when he stepped on them, and it echoed out the study door and around most of the house.
Charlotte had been lying awake in her bed trying to ignore the noise, along with the clunking of the window shutter for the past hour or so, but she couldn’t take it any longer. She grabbed her cloak and threw it over her nightdress. She tiptoed down the creaking stairs trying to not contribute to the noise of her father’s pacing. She entered the study with a concerned look on her face. “Father, what worries you? Your pacing is keeping me awake.”
“Charlotte!” her father turned and scolded, which startled Charlotte who hadn’t expected such a loud tone of voice from asking something out of concern. “This is your own fault! You should have been more alluring towards Lord Beckett!”
“I tried my hardest father, but-”
“You obviously didn’t try hard enough! You didn’t want to be his wife and that is why you didn’t try hard enough!” her father growled again.
“Father, neither of us wanted to be his wife!” Charlotte said.
“I know that. But one of you had to and I wanted you to be his wife. Not Ingrid! You have ruined this family enough, but I’m going to be rid of you soon enough my girl. And I can assure you it won’t be anyone like Beckett who marries you, oh no, I’ve found the oldest of my unmarried friends and he can have you if he pleases!”
“But father I-”
“It’s too late now. You’ve really done it this time my girl! You ought to think yourself lucky that I haven’t thrown you out onto the streets!” he shook his finger violently in the air, pointing at her.
“Father-” she pleaded once more.
“Go to bed!” He pointed towards the study door. “I don’t want to see you again until the morning. You need your rest because I want you looking your best for tomorrow when we start finding you a husband!” he shouted.
“Father, please listen to me!” she begged.
Charles was infuriated with her now. He took a book from his desk and without thinking he threw it across the room. It hit Charlotte‘s arm. “Get out!”
She stood there for a few seconds with a wild look her face before running upstairs, her face filled with tears. She slammed her bedroom door and collapsed onto her bed.
When the noise of Charlotte slamming her door reached the study, Charles had been running his hand along his desk; exasperated, he pushed off most of the things he had on his desk. Papers, books, a jar of ink and a glass and bottle of gin all hit the floor with a large clunk. His glass and bottle of Gin were now spilt across the floor mixed with the ink, saturating the paper before soaking into the threadbare rug. Broken pieces of glass were scattered everywhere. He sunk into his chair and rested his forehead on top of his folded arms on the desk. ‘Why can’t I do anything right?’ he thought.
The next morning Frank would begin the cleanup of the study whilst Charles rushed Charlotte to make her presentable for any suitor who would have her - though a rich one would have been nice.
+*+*+*+*+*+
Ingrid woke up with that feeling you got when you woke from dreaming you were in a different place. When she remembered that the events of yesterday were definitely not a dream, she slipped out of bed. The room was dark, so she went and opened two of the large curtains to let some light in. The clouds were still sagging across the sky above London - what she could see of it anyway. She stood at the window for a few moments staring down at the garden outside. It must have snowed again last night because the garden was still covered in a thick blanket of white.
Coming away from the window, she noticed a small bell sitting on the bedside table next to a pile of ‘oh so exciting’ proper conduct books. She lifted up a book and read the title and author’s name aloud, “A Letter of Gentile and Moral Advice to a Young Lady, by Wetenhall Wilkes.” She put the book down on top of the pile. “That sounds... rather boring... Though, at least it should give me something to do,” she sighed and looked at the small bell and picked it up. ‘What am I supposed to do with this?’ She wondered. Out of boredom and curiosity, she rang the bell. The tinging noise of the bell filled the whole room; for a small bell, it was rather loud.
She sat on her bed and waited to see if anyone had heard the bell. It then occurred to her what might happen if she woke Beckett up, providing he was even home... ‘Oops!’ Her thoughts were stopped when she heard someone at the door. She turned to see who it could be. The door opened and her ladies maids - Alice and Cassandra - entered. ‘So that’s what the bell is for...to beckon servants around the house like dogs. This feels wrong.’
“’bout time you were up, miss. We played a fair few round a’ cards whilst we waited fo’ you.” Cassandra said.
“She won most of them too. We were in the middle of yet another suspicious game when you rang that there bell.” Alice said as she closed the bedroom door.
Ingrid placed the bell back where it came from. “Uh- sorry, I was really tired and-”
Cassandra laughed. “You’re such a funny child. Wot on earth are you say’n sorry for?”
Ingrid sat up straight. Oh of course, she would have to go and say something to make herself feel stupid. “I’ve never really had maids. I just don’t know...”
“Never had maids? Oh, dear, you’re not one of them young ladies that are sent as a debt repayment, are you? Not that it matters if you are or not. Tis’ just unfortunate is all it is,” Cassandra said.
“Yes... I suppose I am. But it isn’t at all too unfortunate. You should have seen where I lived; it was falling apart and everything. I’m glad that I live here now,” Ingrid said as she stood.
“Anyway, I’d rather not talk about it. I should like to get ready.”
“Fair enough, miss.” Alice said. She was a little disappointed that she would not find out any more information on her mistress’s background. “I put your clothes in the wardrobe last night whilst you were at dinner. Which would you like to wear today miss?”
“Oh, you went through my trunk! I hadn’t a clue that my stuff had been put away. I thought I would have to do it myself.” Ingrid said. “I think a blue one would be nice for today.”
“Speak’n of dresses; today I’ll send your measurements away with the samples that you like so we can sooner have you dressed like a proper lady.” Cassandra said.
“Oh, excellent, his lordship will be pleased when they’re ready.” Ingrid smiled.
Alice returned from the wardrobe with a light blue dress with a silver floral pattern, and motioned for Ingrid to come to the dressing screen. Ingrid went behind the screen and Alice undressed and dressed her. Although this wasn’t new to Ingrid, she felt uneasy. No one but her sister’s and a maid from her childhood had seen her undressed.
Cassandra opened a large box which had been sitting on the table at the far side of the room. She pulled out some fabric samples.
Alice, who was now done with dressing Ingrid, was left with making Ingrid’s face and hair to his lordships expectations. She glided the brush through Ingrid’s hair many times and struggled at a few knots. When the knots were dealt with she put Ingrid’s hair the way it was done yesterday; the front pulled back towards and kept together with some ribbon which Alice had found when she went through Ingrid’s trunk. The rest of her hair sat nicely on her shoulders and ran down her back. Alice then gave some make up which Ingrid could apply to herself. While Ingrid powdered herself and applied some rouge and perfume, Cassandra was showing Ingrid some designs in the reflection of the mirror. She nodded at most of them, mostly because she’d always wanted to have a huge variety of beautiful dresses in her wardrobe.
When Cassandra reached the last sample she took the pile of fabrics that Ingrid disagreed on and placed them back into the box. The rest of the material she took under her arm. “Right then Alice, I’m off t’see ‘bout these dresses. If you can’t manage without me jus’ ask someone else.” And with that Cassandra left.
“Is she always pretending she is above you like that Alice?” Ingrid asked.
“Not all of the time, but most of the time, yes. It doesn’t really bother me.” Alice replied. She changed the subject. “Would you like some lunch now, miss?”
“Wait, you mean to say that its lunch time already?” Ingrid asked. ‘So Beckett isn’t around then.’
“Close enough, yes.” Alice replied. “You must have been tired!”
+*+*+*+*+*+
Whilst lunch was being organised Alice explained to Ingrid about how she should do things. When lunch had been organised and served, Ingrid ate alone before taking some tea in the sitting room. She was seated in one of the large black chairs in the corner of the room beside a window. She took a sip of her tea but held back drinking anymore because it was still much too hot. She settled the tea cup on the saucer and began to read the proper conduct book that she’d found on her bedside table. She thought that it would impress Beckett if he noticed her doing her reading, and besides, it wasn’t as if she had anything better to do.
A long two hours or so had passed when the clock at the other side of the room struck three, and startled Ingrid. She swore that the maid who was dusting something in the opposite corner had seen her and was trying not to laugh. She settled into her book again only to be interrupted when she heard the voices of Mr. Mercer and Lord Beckett coming from somewhere. She tried to focus on her book again when she heard another voice; this without any doubt didn’t belong to Mercer or Beckett.
Beckett and Mercer entered the sitting room with an old man. Ingrid noticed what he was wearing and that he was holding a holy bible. ‘A priest, does this mean Beckett wants us to wed now?’ Ingrid set her book down on the table spread out at the page she was reading.
“I had a feeling that Mercer would find someone to wed us today. Come here,” Beckett said.
Ingrid made her way over to be at his side.
He held out his arm that she warmly accepted. “It’s good to see that you’ve started the reading that I set for you.” He sounded like a stuck up governess who was happy to see that their pupil had learned the alphabet.
“Uh, yes...” She replied nervously. She watched the old priest struggling to hold his bible. “I thought you might be pleased about that.”
“Where should we do this, then?” the priest asked in a very hoarse voice. Ingrid wondered how it was even possible for him to talk at all.
“The study; Mercer shall lead the way.” Beckett instructed.
Ingrid took a step forward to follow on after Mercer and the priest, but Beckett held her back. “Anxious are we?”
“Nervous, actually... Shouldn’t we be going with them?”
“Yes, but I must speak with you first,” he said, cutting her off. “This marriage is going to mean a lot me... If you have something that you need to tell me please do so now before I marry you and you become a burden to my life.”
“I don’t understand.” Ingrid said. ‘What kind of burden would I be?’
“Well... things along the line of, your chastity.”
“I’ve already told you. I am a virgin. I’m as untouched as The Virgin Mary herself.”
“Very well,” he said. “Though do keep in mind that there are and will be consequences if you’re lying.” Beckett did want to believe her but she was Charles’s daughter and Charles could once again be screwing with the Beckett family.
“Shouldn’t I change my dress?” Ingrid asked. Blue wasn’t exactly the colour she thought she’d be wearing on her wedding day.
“No, the dress you have on is fine. This is only a small ceremony and a paper signing.” Beckett replied.
“Oh... I suppose so.” Ingrid said unevenly, and with that, she and Beckett made their way to the study.
+*+*+*+*+*+
“We are gathered here today to join together Cutler Beckett and Ingrid Louise Ivory in holy Matrimony.” The priest read very shakily and was annoyingly slow.
When he began to read some bible verses, Ingrid’s heart raced a mile a minute whilst Beckett looked rather relaxed.
The priest finally got to the vows and Ingrid became even more unrelaxed while Beckett was still very much the opposite. She almost couldn’t keep her finger still when Beckett slipped on the ring and said “With this ring, I wed, with my body I worship, and with all my worldly goods, I endow to."
Ingrid then did and said the same thing, but with a pause as she tried to bring the words out of her mouth. “With t-this ring, I wed, with my body I worship, and with all my worldly goods, I-I endow to.”
The priest coughed his way through the Declaration and Prayer. “I now present Lord and Lady Beckett. You may now kiss the bride.” It wasn’t just Beckett and Ingrid that were glad he had finished, they were both sure that the Priest himself was glad too.
Beckett placed his arms around her and kissed her gently; he wouldn’t be rough with her here. He liked what he tasted and she felt unusual inside. This was Ingrid’s first kiss and it certainly wouldn’t be her last. Mercer handed the priest a large sack of jingling coins after the signing of some documents were done and they left the newlyweds alone.
That night after Beckett and Ingrid had had their dinner, behind the locked door of Beckett’s bed chamber; Beckett explored the unseen underneath of his wife’s silky-smooth nightdress. Ingrid learnt things of her husband’s body; a male body. It was in that moment that Beckett was truly pleased with his choice of bride. In a way, they both learned something that night, but only one of them liked what they’d learnt. From the very moment that he’d torn into her, he discarded all interest in her and later sent her back to her own bed chamber as he would not have her sleep in the same bed that night. Sore and slightly confused, Ingrid cried herself to sleep. Beckett on the other hand lay wide awake with a pleased smirk across his face.
This was just the beginning of their marriage.
Author:lady_elizabeth2
Characters: Lord Beckett, Ingrid Ivory, Mercer, Charles Ivory, Charlotte Ivory, Frank, a very old priest and some OC maids.
Word Count: 2,580
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean and it's characters are not a creation of mine.
Chapter Summary: The marriage of Cutler Beckett and Ingrid Ivory and a scene with Charlotte and Charles Ivory.
Thanks: goes to madame_doodle for editing this and giving me a small and very enjoyable history lesson. I'd also like to thank twix5000 for bringing my inspiration back. . . again.
Whilst Ingrid slept on the other side of London in her warm, comfortable bed, Charles Ivory paced behind the desk in his study in the freezing night air. The floor boards - long overdue for replacement - creaked when he stepped on them, and it echoed out the study door and around most of the house.
Charlotte had been lying awake in her bed trying to ignore the noise, along with the clunking of the window shutter for the past hour or so, but she couldn’t take it any longer. She grabbed her cloak and threw it over her nightdress. She tiptoed down the creaking stairs trying to not contribute to the noise of her father’s pacing. She entered the study with a concerned look on her face. “Father, what worries you? Your pacing is keeping me awake.”
“Charlotte!” her father turned and scolded, which startled Charlotte who hadn’t expected such a loud tone of voice from asking something out of concern. “This is your own fault! You should have been more alluring towards Lord Beckett!”
“I tried my hardest father, but-”
“You obviously didn’t try hard enough! You didn’t want to be his wife and that is why you didn’t try hard enough!” her father growled again.
“Father, neither of us wanted to be his wife!” Charlotte said.
“I know that. But one of you had to and I wanted you to be his wife. Not Ingrid! You have ruined this family enough, but I’m going to be rid of you soon enough my girl. And I can assure you it won’t be anyone like Beckett who marries you, oh no, I’ve found the oldest of my unmarried friends and he can have you if he pleases!”
“But father I-”
“It’s too late now. You’ve really done it this time my girl! You ought to think yourself lucky that I haven’t thrown you out onto the streets!” he shook his finger violently in the air, pointing at her.
“Father-” she pleaded once more.
“Go to bed!” He pointed towards the study door. “I don’t want to see you again until the morning. You need your rest because I want you looking your best for tomorrow when we start finding you a husband!” he shouted.
“Father, please listen to me!” she begged.
Charles was infuriated with her now. He took a book from his desk and without thinking he threw it across the room. It hit Charlotte‘s arm. “Get out!”
She stood there for a few seconds with a wild look her face before running upstairs, her face filled with tears. She slammed her bedroom door and collapsed onto her bed.
When the noise of Charlotte slamming her door reached the study, Charles had been running his hand along his desk; exasperated, he pushed off most of the things he had on his desk. Papers, books, a jar of ink and a glass and bottle of gin all hit the floor with a large clunk. His glass and bottle of Gin were now spilt across the floor mixed with the ink, saturating the paper before soaking into the threadbare rug. Broken pieces of glass were scattered everywhere. He sunk into his chair and rested his forehead on top of his folded arms on the desk. ‘Why can’t I do anything right?’ he thought.
The next morning Frank would begin the cleanup of the study whilst Charles rushed Charlotte to make her presentable for any suitor who would have her - though a rich one would have been nice.
+*+*+*+*+*+
Ingrid woke up with that feeling you got when you woke from dreaming you were in a different place. When she remembered that the events of yesterday were definitely not a dream, she slipped out of bed. The room was dark, so she went and opened two of the large curtains to let some light in. The clouds were still sagging across the sky above London - what she could see of it anyway. She stood at the window for a few moments staring down at the garden outside. It must have snowed again last night because the garden was still covered in a thick blanket of white.
Coming away from the window, she noticed a small bell sitting on the bedside table next to a pile of ‘oh so exciting’ proper conduct books. She lifted up a book and read the title and author’s name aloud, “A Letter of Gentile and Moral Advice to a Young Lady, by Wetenhall Wilkes.” She put the book down on top of the pile. “That sounds... rather boring... Though, at least it should give me something to do,” she sighed and looked at the small bell and picked it up. ‘What am I supposed to do with this?’ She wondered. Out of boredom and curiosity, she rang the bell. The tinging noise of the bell filled the whole room; for a small bell, it was rather loud.
She sat on her bed and waited to see if anyone had heard the bell. It then occurred to her what might happen if she woke Beckett up, providing he was even home... ‘Oops!’ Her thoughts were stopped when she heard someone at the door. She turned to see who it could be. The door opened and her ladies maids - Alice and Cassandra - entered. ‘So that’s what the bell is for...to beckon servants around the house like dogs. This feels wrong.’
“’bout time you were up, miss. We played a fair few round a’ cards whilst we waited fo’ you.” Cassandra said.
“She won most of them too. We were in the middle of yet another suspicious game when you rang that there bell.” Alice said as she closed the bedroom door.
Ingrid placed the bell back where it came from. “Uh- sorry, I was really tired and-”
Cassandra laughed. “You’re such a funny child. Wot on earth are you say’n sorry for?”
Ingrid sat up straight. Oh of course, she would have to go and say something to make herself feel stupid. “I’ve never really had maids. I just don’t know...”
“Never had maids? Oh, dear, you’re not one of them young ladies that are sent as a debt repayment, are you? Not that it matters if you are or not. Tis’ just unfortunate is all it is,” Cassandra said.
“Yes... I suppose I am. But it isn’t at all too unfortunate. You should have seen where I lived; it was falling apart and everything. I’m glad that I live here now,” Ingrid said as she stood.
“Anyway, I’d rather not talk about it. I should like to get ready.”
“Fair enough, miss.” Alice said. She was a little disappointed that she would not find out any more information on her mistress’s background. “I put your clothes in the wardrobe last night whilst you were at dinner. Which would you like to wear today miss?”
“Oh, you went through my trunk! I hadn’t a clue that my stuff had been put away. I thought I would have to do it myself.” Ingrid said. “I think a blue one would be nice for today.”
“Speak’n of dresses; today I’ll send your measurements away with the samples that you like so we can sooner have you dressed like a proper lady.” Cassandra said.
“Oh, excellent, his lordship will be pleased when they’re ready.” Ingrid smiled.
Alice returned from the wardrobe with a light blue dress with a silver floral pattern, and motioned for Ingrid to come to the dressing screen. Ingrid went behind the screen and Alice undressed and dressed her. Although this wasn’t new to Ingrid, she felt uneasy. No one but her sister’s and a maid from her childhood had seen her undressed.
Cassandra opened a large box which had been sitting on the table at the far side of the room. She pulled out some fabric samples.
Alice, who was now done with dressing Ingrid, was left with making Ingrid’s face and hair to his lordships expectations. She glided the brush through Ingrid’s hair many times and struggled at a few knots. When the knots were dealt with she put Ingrid’s hair the way it was done yesterday; the front pulled back towards and kept together with some ribbon which Alice had found when she went through Ingrid’s trunk. The rest of her hair sat nicely on her shoulders and ran down her back. Alice then gave some make up which Ingrid could apply to herself. While Ingrid powdered herself and applied some rouge and perfume, Cassandra was showing Ingrid some designs in the reflection of the mirror. She nodded at most of them, mostly because she’d always wanted to have a huge variety of beautiful dresses in her wardrobe.
When Cassandra reached the last sample she took the pile of fabrics that Ingrid disagreed on and placed them back into the box. The rest of the material she took under her arm. “Right then Alice, I’m off t’see ‘bout these dresses. If you can’t manage without me jus’ ask someone else.” And with that Cassandra left.
“Is she always pretending she is above you like that Alice?” Ingrid asked.
“Not all of the time, but most of the time, yes. It doesn’t really bother me.” Alice replied. She changed the subject. “Would you like some lunch now, miss?”
“Wait, you mean to say that its lunch time already?” Ingrid asked. ‘So Beckett isn’t around then.’
“Close enough, yes.” Alice replied. “You must have been tired!”
+*+*+*+*+*+
Whilst lunch was being organised Alice explained to Ingrid about how she should do things. When lunch had been organised and served, Ingrid ate alone before taking some tea in the sitting room. She was seated in one of the large black chairs in the corner of the room beside a window. She took a sip of her tea but held back drinking anymore because it was still much too hot. She settled the tea cup on the saucer and began to read the proper conduct book that she’d found on her bedside table. She thought that it would impress Beckett if he noticed her doing her reading, and besides, it wasn’t as if she had anything better to do.
A long two hours or so had passed when the clock at the other side of the room struck three, and startled Ingrid. She swore that the maid who was dusting something in the opposite corner had seen her and was trying not to laugh. She settled into her book again only to be interrupted when she heard the voices of Mr. Mercer and Lord Beckett coming from somewhere. She tried to focus on her book again when she heard another voice; this without any doubt didn’t belong to Mercer or Beckett.
Beckett and Mercer entered the sitting room with an old man. Ingrid noticed what he was wearing and that he was holding a holy bible. ‘A priest, does this mean Beckett wants us to wed now?’ Ingrid set her book down on the table spread out at the page she was reading.
“I had a feeling that Mercer would find someone to wed us today. Come here,” Beckett said.
Ingrid made her way over to be at his side.
He held out his arm that she warmly accepted. “It’s good to see that you’ve started the reading that I set for you.” He sounded like a stuck up governess who was happy to see that their pupil had learned the alphabet.
“Uh, yes...” She replied nervously. She watched the old priest struggling to hold his bible. “I thought you might be pleased about that.”
“Where should we do this, then?” the priest asked in a very hoarse voice. Ingrid wondered how it was even possible for him to talk at all.
“The study; Mercer shall lead the way.” Beckett instructed.
Ingrid took a step forward to follow on after Mercer and the priest, but Beckett held her back. “Anxious are we?”
“Nervous, actually... Shouldn’t we be going with them?”
“Yes, but I must speak with you first,” he said, cutting her off. “This marriage is going to mean a lot me... If you have something that you need to tell me please do so now before I marry you and you become a burden to my life.”
“I don’t understand.” Ingrid said. ‘What kind of burden would I be?’
“Well... things along the line of, your chastity.”
“I’ve already told you. I am a virgin. I’m as untouched as The Virgin Mary herself.”
“Very well,” he said. “Though do keep in mind that there are and will be consequences if you’re lying.” Beckett did want to believe her but she was Charles’s daughter and Charles could once again be screwing with the Beckett family.
“Shouldn’t I change my dress?” Ingrid asked. Blue wasn’t exactly the colour she thought she’d be wearing on her wedding day.
“No, the dress you have on is fine. This is only a small ceremony and a paper signing.” Beckett replied.
“Oh... I suppose so.” Ingrid said unevenly, and with that, she and Beckett made their way to the study.
+*+*+*+*+*+
“We are gathered here today to join together Cutler Beckett and Ingrid Louise Ivory in holy Matrimony.” The priest read very shakily and was annoyingly slow.
When he began to read some bible verses, Ingrid’s heart raced a mile a minute whilst Beckett looked rather relaxed.
The priest finally got to the vows and Ingrid became even more unrelaxed while Beckett was still very much the opposite. She almost couldn’t keep her finger still when Beckett slipped on the ring and said “With this ring, I wed, with my body I worship, and with all my worldly goods, I endow to."
Ingrid then did and said the same thing, but with a pause as she tried to bring the words out of her mouth. “With t-this ring, I wed, with my body I worship, and with all my worldly goods, I-I endow to.”
The priest coughed his way through the Declaration and Prayer. “I now present Lord and Lady Beckett. You may now kiss the bride.” It wasn’t just Beckett and Ingrid that were glad he had finished, they were both sure that the Priest himself was glad too.
Beckett placed his arms around her and kissed her gently; he wouldn’t be rough with her here. He liked what he tasted and she felt unusual inside. This was Ingrid’s first kiss and it certainly wouldn’t be her last. Mercer handed the priest a large sack of jingling coins after the signing of some documents were done and they left the newlyweds alone.
That night after Beckett and Ingrid had had their dinner, behind the locked door of Beckett’s bed chamber; Beckett explored the unseen underneath of his wife’s silky-smooth nightdress. Ingrid learnt things of her husband’s body; a male body. It was in that moment that Beckett was truly pleased with his choice of bride. In a way, they both learned something that night, but only one of them liked what they’d learnt. From the very moment that he’d torn into her, he discarded all interest in her and later sent her back to her own bed chamber as he would not have her sleep in the same bed that night. Sore and slightly confused, Ingrid cried herself to sleep. Beckett on the other hand lay wide awake with a pleased smirk across his face.
This was just the beginning of their marriage.