He had with him now a regiment of English grenadiers, and a few line regiments, but the bulk of the army was composed of his Dutch troops and foreign mercenaries.

The latter had shown, at the battle of the Boyne, that their courage was not of a high order, while their excesses had not only produced a bitter feeling of hatred against them throughout the country, but had done immense harm to the cause, by rendering it next to impossible to obtain provisions.
Walter's progress towards recovery, from the day when he recovered consciousness, was very rapid.

The fever, though severe, had been short, and he gained strength almost as rapidly as he had lost it.

The morning after he had come to himself, Mrs.Conyers brought Claire in to see him.
"Here is a young lady who is very anxious to see how you are getting on, Walter," she said cheerfully; "and, now you are going on so well, I shall hand you over a good deal to her care, as some of the others want my attention badly.

You must not talk much, you know, else we shall be having you getting feverish again." So saying, she left the room.
Claire had stopped timidly near the door.