Not sure about the subsidising - did Nicola still have her money from the hawking book? But where did Peter get his half

Wouldnt he get paid as a Dartmouth cadet? (I know he's younger htan they are now.)

I think Nicola did use her hawk book money, because she was thinking of using it for Catkin (at Rowan's suggestion) until Patrick said that he would be too much for her.