 In his mid @-@ twenties , Widmerpool confesses to Jenkins his love for Barbara Goring , a girl whom he had known since his childhood . Their families had been neighbours and Widmerpool 's father had supplied Lord Goring with liquid manure . This unrequited passion ends suddenly , when Barbara pours sugar over Widmerpool 's head at a ball , as a means of " sweetening " him . Shortly afterwards , Widmerpool becomes obsessed by Gypsy Jones , a fiery street radical he meets by chance , who according to Jenkins resembles " a thoroughly ill @-@ conditioned errand boy " . The nature of the Widmerpool – Jones relationship is not made explicit ; it culminates in his paying for an abortion , even though he is not responsible for her condition and apparently receives no favours from her in return . His actions in this respect haunt Widmerpool for a long time thereafter ; he vows that he will never again allow a woman to take his mind off his work . 
