Regency AU. Mr Bennet's leg was badly damaged in a carriage accident when Lizzy was 16. She takes over running the estate and her father sells it to her to avoid it leaving the Bennet family after his death. Elizabeth Bennet refuses to marry to retain Longbourn for her family, happy in her duties and family life. But what is she really giving up?

A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for your support! Love the constructive criticism, please keep it coming! And again, a reminder that this is a Regency Alternative Universe given all the unlikely circumstances. The attempt at working in historical accuracy is to help with the suspension of disbelief— it's fan fiction based on a work of fiction! There will be times I stray from what is historically accurate, though I am researching what I can to make it fun to read for all. I'll be adding historical notes and references to help move the story along. I can't post links but I always recommend Google!

Chapter 1

The dawn was cool and clear in late September. Harvest was coming in soon, and Elizabeth Bennet was all too aware of it. She smiled, as she rode through the fields, astride her horse in her men's riding clothes, her hair tucked into a cap. She wanted to look over the parcel of land she was considering purchasing from Netherfield Park, which would add additional tenants to Longbourn. It'd been four years since Elizabeth had taken over running the estate from her father, after a carriage accident in London left his leg too crippled to ride. It'd been two years since she'd formally purchased the estate with her dowry. She was Mistress of Longbourn, and how she dearly loved to remind herself of it. The estate was her pride and devotion, next to only her family.

Jumping a few fences as she sped along, she quickly came to Oakham Mount, part of the divide between Netherfield Park and Longbourn, her family's ancestral home. It wasn't an exceedingly large estate, but it was hers. And, under her management, she was able to make the profit yield better, investing into her sister's dowries and back into the estate. She'd always helped father in his duties, long being called his favorite child, but once it was clear he could not do all that was required to run the estate after the accident, Elizabeth firmly told her father a steward was not necessary, after all, wasn't she more capable, essentially being apprenticed since childhood? Her father laughed and agreed, though he no longer laughed at the idea now. Elizabeth had exceeded his expectations, and even his own skill with managing the estate. Elizabeth still consulted him on various matters, but all of the final decisions were hers. Looking out over Netherfield from Longbourn, Elizabeth exhaled. More of this land she would soon be able to call her own. She rode on to the specific fields she was interested in, a few acres that would pull in a small but tidy profit, and ideal for Elizabeth's plans to expand the sheep herd. She was completely lost in thought and barely registered that two horsemen had approached.

"Hallo!" A fair haired man of a medium, stocky build called to her. He sat upon a chestnut mare, on an ornately tooled saddle. His companion was far more imposing, tall and regal on his dark stallion, looking at her most curiously and with far too much intensity for her liking.

"Are you the steward of Longbourn? Only, we have just come from Netherfield. My name is Bingley, and this is Darcy. I've leased the Park for twelvemonth." The fair haired man, Bingley, continued talking as Elizabeth nodded. He didn't seem to notice that she was not a man, pulling up and tipped his elegant top hat to her. They were both well dressed gentleman. A small smile played upon her face.

Darcy pulled up as well, eyes continually scrutinizing her. He tipped his hat as well, "Well met, madam." Bingley's mouth fell open in astonishment, first at his friend, and then at the laughing person, who sweeping off her cap into a bow, set free a cascade of chocolate brown hair, still in their curling rags, tumbling past her shoulders.

"Well met, sirs. I am Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Mistress of Longbourn." Elizabeth grinned happily at her title, one that she didn't speak often, but enjoyed the effect it had on strangers.

"Mistress?" Bingley's face still hadn't lost it's surprise. A girl, younger than him, a mistress of the neighboring estate?

"I own and run Longbourn as my father cannot. Since he has no sons and I was well suited for the position, I endeavored to make it mine."

"And have you found such a position to your liking, Miss Bennet?" Mr Darcy was attempting not to laugh at his friend, whose shock was still threatening to unseat him from his horse.

"Yes, sir. If my pride is a sin, then I fully claim it. I was hoping to purchase some of the land abutting here from Netherfield, but it sounds like it won't be available now." Elizabeth positively glowed, which Darcy admired and admonished. Pride should be kept in check, but though she had been initially been mistaken for a man, he found that Miss Bennet was, in fact, uncommonly pretty and the glow of her pride in her home accentuated it.

"The country here is tolerable. I dare say, I am used to Derbyshire which has more streams and lakes." Darcy answered, looking around. Elizabeth sucked in her breath. Tolerable! How could her land be just tolerable!

"It is exquisite here, Miss Bennet. While the land may not be for sale, I cannot say I blame you for coveting it so. I find myself more enamored by the moment." Bingley smoothed over the smarting he could see happening; damn Darcy's smart mouth!

"Thank you, Mr. Bingley. So very kind of you. I would say that my father would like to call upon you, but to be frank it would be easier if you would like to call upon him. He does not move well, but is always looking for opponents to play in chess and backgammon aside from myself and my sisters." Elizabeth smiled at the olive branch, and extended her own.

"Sisters?" Mr Bingley asked.

"Yes, I have four sisters. I am the second eldest. We've all learned to play chess and backgammon to divert my father in the evenings." Elizabeth didn't want to spend too much time talking about their unorthodox home life, though she was sure they'd soon find out. It was an unspoken, but well known fact in the neighborhood that she performed the duties of master of Longbourn while her elder sister Jane, had all but taken over mistress duties.

"Very nice. I have two sisters myself." Mr Bingley nodded. "Darcy here has a sister as well." Mr Darcy nodded curtly.

"You are not the eldest, and yet you are the Mistress of Longbourn?" Mr Darcy asked with interest.

"Yes, having been at my father's side much of my childhood, I learned much about running an estate. After his accident, it felt natural that I would be the one to take over, being essentially a willing apprentice since I was but five years old." Elizabeth blushed slightly, looking down and smoothing her steed's mane.

"I understand. I took over Pemberly from my own father when I was not three and twenty." His expression had softened, and Elizabeth looked up, studying his profile when he wasn't holding himself with such rigidity. She nodded.

"It is a burden, but one I gladly bear." She flashed a bright smile, and Mr Darcy allowed a small one upon his features. Elizabeth looked at the sun's perch in the sky, and with the tightness in her stomach, she figured it was probably time for breakfast.

"Are you both coming to the Assembly tonight?" She asked brightly, readying herself for the ride back, tucking her hair back into her cap.

"Ah, yes! My butler had mentioned that a Sir William Lucas had dropped off an invitation to us, when he heard that Netherfield was being let. We will definitely be in attendance." Mr Bingley smiled brightly, while Mr Darcy scowled.

"Mr Darcy, do you not like to dance?" She smiled handsomely at him and Mr Darcy mastered his features.

"Ah, Darcy here just isn't fond of crowds of strangers. But surely, Darcy, you will dance?" Mr Bingley asked his companion brightly.

"Perhaps" was the only answer.

"Well, Mr Bingley, Mr Darcy, I bid you a good day. I must take my leave now, but perhaps I will see you this evening." Elizabeth's smile played upon her lips as she tried to keep a straight face. Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley nodded and began nudging their horses away.

"Good Day, Miss Bennet!" Mr Bingley called brightly as Elizabeth Bennet cantered off. Fitzwilliam Darcy looked at him, an inscrutable expression upon his face.

"Charles, why don't you start back and I'll catch you up? I want a last word with Miss Bennet." Mr Darcy left no time for an answer before nudging his horse after her.

"Miss Bennet! A word!" Mr Darcy called as he caught up with her, half a field a way. They slowed to a trot.

"Yes, Mr Darcy?" Elizabeth looked at him with curiosity.

"May I have a dance this evening?" Mr Darcy asked hurriedly.

"Yes, I would be honored." Elizabeth smiled, blushing slightly.

"Until tonight then. Miss Bennet" Mr Darcy tipped his hat and turned his horse around quickly before spurring it on quickly in the other direction.

"What a strange man." Elizabeth thought to herself. "First, he mortifies my pride in my land and now he asks me to dance?" She shifted in her saddle as she urged her horse towards home. "I couldn't very well refuse him, in such a position. But, perhaps he's a better dancer than conversationalist." She decided the best person to ask, would be her dearest sister, Jane. But first, it was time for breakfast.

Historical Notes:

Of Age: 21 years

Coverture: "By marriage, the husband and wife are one person in law: that is, the very being or legal existence of the woman is suspended during the marriage, or at least is incorporated and consolidated into that of the husband: under whose wing, protection, and cover, she performs every thing; and is therefore called in our law-French a feme-covert; is said to be covert-baron, or under the protection and influence of her husband, her baron, or lord; and her condition during her marriage is called her coverture. Upon this principle, of a union of person in husband and wife, depend almost all the legal rights, duties, and disabilities, that either of them acquire by the marriage. I speak not at present of the rights of property, but of such as are merely personal. For this reason, a man cannot grant any thing to his wife, or enter into covenant with her: for the grant would be to suppose her separate existence; and to covenant with her, would be only to covenant with himself: and therefore it is also generally true, that all compacts made between husband and wife, when single, are voided by the intermarriage" (William Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England )

Femme Sole: An adult woman who has never been married, or has been divorced or widowed. Able to own property and sign contracts in her own name.

Dowries are discharged to a woman's husband in the event of her marriage and the husband agrees upon a settlement amount that is held as savings for a woman in the event of her husband's death—not the dowry itself. This is why with marriage contracts, there are settlement papers that are agreed upon and signed.

Entails that default to the male heir were common to keep estates together, so that in the event of no sons, an estate such as Longbourn would not be split up between all of the daughters. In this story, to appease the point of the entail, Elizabeth's purchase would mean that she would retain Longbourn so it would not be split up. An opportunity not yet considered by Elizabeth is that a property that is desired to not be split up in the absence of sons could be given to a daughter and her husband, provided the husband takes her last name to continue it on.

Teaser: How will Mr Collins to agree to consent to breaking the entail? What are the details in the property transfer written between the solicitor and Mr Bennet? Is it legal with Elizabeth not being of age? How will others receive news of the transaction? Will it stand under scrutiny?