The Mercy of Chance by Mary Alice Alexander

Five Sisters. One Entail. A Legacy Worth Fighting For.

Mr. Thomas Bennet’s untimely death brings not only grief to Longbourn—but, with it, the weight of uncertainty. The estate, entailed away from the female line, now faces a legal challenge from Mr. Collins, a cousin as odious as he is ambitious. But Longbourn has never been a house of ordinary women. With the quiet strength of their grandfather’s guidance, the five Bennet sisters step forward—not as ornaments of society, but as defenders of their legacy.
Elizabeth confronts the peril head-on, navigating estate management and Regency law with unexpected allies, including the formidable Mr. Darcy. Their growing connection simmers beneath the surface as legal battles, social judgment, and personal pride threaten to keep them apart. He is the last man she thought she could love—until he becomes the one man she cannot ignore.
Jane, long admired for her beauty and composure, discovers a resilience even she did not know she possessed, especially when affection proves more complex than it first appeared. Mary, often overlooked, finds her voice in agricultural innovation and scientific study. Kitty, quiet and cautious, surprises them all with her clarity and instinct. Lydia, bold and impulsive, proves herself a steward of land and livestock, her talents emerging in the most unexpected places.
As Mr. Collins stoops to sabotage and subterfuge, the sisters must outwit not only him but the weight of tradition itself. With Mr. Darcy’s intentions increasingly entangled with Elizabeth’s, and the support of unlikely allies, the fate of Longbourn—and their futures—hangs in the balance.
In this rich, romantic reimagining of Pride and Prejudice, sisterhood and strategy take center stage as five young women challenge the expectations of their world—and claim their rightful place within it.