Antonia Forest fans

I think the twins' relationship, and how it shifts, is worth exploring here. We see quite a bit in these chapters of Lawrie being Lawrie, and Nicola doing damage control: when Lawrie can't see off Redmond on her own, trying to protect her from Miss Cromwell's wrath, hastily interjecting to cover up Miranda's lack of tact when she criticises Lawrie's maths skills; alternatively, being silently embarrassed by Lawrie-being-Lawrie, over the Shepherd Boy. And then there's the awkward scene with Dr Herrick, where Tim supplant's Nicola's accustomed (and not always welcome) role with Lawrie.