soon after, clairmont became a lover of the romantic poet lord byron, and mary godwin and shelley had a second child on 24 january 1816, who was named william after godwin. in february, imlay went to visit the shelleys, who had settled in bishopsgate. godwin's debts continued to mount, and while he demanded money from shelley, godwin still refused to see either him or his daughter. at this time, charles clairmont (imlay's step-brother), frustrated with the tension in the godwin household, left for france and refused to help the family any further. at around the same time, claire clairmont, mary godwin, and shelley left for the continent, seeking byron. godwin was aghast. he relied on shelley's money, and the stain on his family's reputation only increased when the public learned that the group had left to join the rakish byron.