 When he is about 30 , Widmerpool becomes engaged to a considerably older widow , Mildred Haycock . His main motivation appears to be his craving for social status ; she is the daughter of Lord Vowchurch . In his analysis of Powell 's works , Nicholas Birns wrote : " What Widmerpool wants to do is to ' marry up ' , to make a marriage that will cement his upward social mobility , and he is willing to take an older woman with two teenage children in order to accomplish this . " The engagement ends abruptly , over Widmerpool 's impotence during an attempted premarital sexual union . 
