in 1814, shelley spent a considerable amount of time at the godwins' and he and imlay may have fallen in love. later, claire clairmont claimed that they had been. imlay was sent to wales in may of that year; todd speculates that godwin was trying to separate her from shelley while seymour hints that mrs godwin was trying to improve her despondent mood. meanwhile, the godwin household became even more uncomfortable as godwin sank further into debt and as relations between mary and her stepmother became increasingly hostile. mary godwin consoled herself with shelley and the two started a passionate love affair. when shelley declared to godwin that the two were in love, godwin exploded in anger. however, he needed the money that shelley, as an aristocrat, could and was willing to provide. frustrated with the entire situation, mary godwin, shelley, and claire clairmont ran off to europe together on 28 june 1814. godwin hurriedly summoned imlay home from wales to help him handle the situation. her stepmother wrote that imlay's "emotion was deep when she heard of the sad fate of the two girls; she cannot get over it". in the middle of this disaster, one of godwin's protégés killed himself, and young william godwin ran away from home and was missing for two days. when news of the girls' escapade became public, godwin was pilloried in the press. life in the godwin household became increasingly strained.