In a later book Lawrie is described as the lucky one, but reading these two books it seems Nicola leads a charmed life. She keeps doing things which would have led to death or disaster if they had gone wrong; and yet she comes across as brave and resourceful rather than foolish or reckless. Certainly as a child (and beyond) I wanted to be less like myself and more like Nicola Marlow. It is luck that she doesn't get hit by a train in the railway tunnel, luck that she gets back from Port Wade without being expelled, luck that the Talisman gets dragged onto the beach not the rocks... Napoleon would have wanted her in his army!