Meanwhile, there was a slow exchange of information between Edward Wentworth and his sister Sophia Croft. It was perhaps inevitable that there would be some delay compared to a face-to-face conversation, simply in delivery by post, however getting post to a ship could cause a lengthy delay. If a letter did not make it onto the packet boat, it could be some time before the next packet boat would be dispersed.

So quite a bit of time elapsed from when Edward Wentworth first wrote to his sister Sophia Croft about his suspicions that Frederick was too cheerful and why he believed it might be false cheer based on his limited knowledge of what had transpired between their brother Frederick and Miss Anne Elliot, as supported by his recounting of their behavior to him, and Mrs. Croft's reply. She wrote to add her own observations from Frederick's correspondence and to gain clarification on a couple of points. After Mr. Wentworth provided his clarifications, then Mrs. Croft asked what he had tried to facilitate a rekindling of the connection and here Mr. Wentworth was obliged to reveal that neither party excepted his office as a go-between, though Miss Anne always seemed eager to gain such intelligence as he could offer. However, any progress made in this respect was arrested when he was obliged to seek a new post and leave her society.

All told, what perhaps could have been worked out in a simple conversation or two, took nearly two years. However, the resolution of that was that Sophia Croft, if happening to be at the same port as Frederick, would endeavor to find out whether Frederick was indeed mourning an aborted engagement to Miss Anne Elliot and if she could determine it was so, would try to encourage him when next he had leave to seek Miss Anne out and try again.

This plan was quite perfected and only required an appropriate occasion for enacting it, when Sophia received another letter from Edward with a new development in giving him more recent knowledge regarding the occupants of Kellynch Hall from a most unexpected source. There was a certain person who had taken a personal interest in the happiness of Miss Anne Elliot and had determined that a correspondence with her former fiance's brother might be of use in furthering the association he knew Miss Anne longed for. Thus armed with additional intelligence, Sophia knew just what to do when the opportunity should present itself.

Luck smiled upon them then as it was not two months later, at the beginning of the year 11 that Captain Wentworth's and Captain Croft's ships were both being resupplied at the same port. Captain Croft, who of course knew of his wife's plans, was happy to invite his brother by marriage to dine with them and she was content to begin the evening by hearing her husband and brother regale her with exaggerated tales from the latest campaigns. Sophia was skilled at being patient and waiting for the most opportune moment.

Sophia observed that her brother seemed to be endeavoring to be lively, but observed a few brief unguarded moments in which his lips sagged and his eyes glistened with extra wetness, but those moments were so transient that she would have doubted the veracity of her observation if not for the information she received from Edward's letters. Sophia watched and waited for the right moment. The wine was freely pouring and she saw her brother becoming more relaxed and a bit looser of tongue, when she decided to set her trap. Being an elder sister, and never having had the opportunity to see her younger brother in love, she could not resist needling him a bit.

"Perhaps you have heard from our brother Edward that he has kept up a correspondence with a denizen from his previous post."

Frederick said nothing but sat up a little, finally stating, "What is it to me who he corresponds with there? I was only with him nigh on six months and those that were there were not much more than indifferent acquaintances."

"Perhaps the local apothecary was beneath your notice," Sophia commented, "though Edward and Mr. Robinson often had notice of one another when Edward cared for an ill person's soul while Mr. Robinson ministered to his body.

"I am more liberal than most in considering each man's individual worth," said he. "I do not particularly recall the man, however. I hope, though, that Mr. Robinson did not communicate some misfortune of health to the local populous which would require my brother to pray for the families of the newly departed."

"If he did, I did not hear tell of that. He simply had news regarding an anticipated marriage between the young Mr. Muskgrove, heir to Uppercross, and a young lady from the most prominent family in the area."

Frederick tried to look disinterested. "It is nothing to me," he announced, "though I suppose as you brought it up, you desire to communicate it to me."

"I have no interest in this particular piece of gossip except in how it may affect my brother," said she. Sophia waited. If Frederick truly had no interest, she would let him turn the subject.

"I suppose Miss Elliot, Miss Elizabeth Elliot has finally settled for a non-noble husband," he opined with a slight grimace. "I fancy Edward was a bit sweet on her, though she would take no notice of him."

"Mr. Muskgrove did offer for one of the Miss Elliots, but I do not believe her name was Miss Elizabeth. As I recall it was one with a shorter name."

Frederick suddenly got a wild look in his eyes, roughly grabbed his sister's shoulder and demanded, "What kind of a game are you playing at sister?"

"Unhand my Sophy!" Captain Croft demanded. "Are you that far in your cups, Captain Wentworth?"

"Certainly not," he replied, releasing her. "My apologies Sophia, but you must admit you are baiting me. I wager that Edward observed more than I suspected and the two of you have been gossiping together like old pea hens. Tell me straight, did Mr. Muskgrove ask for Miss Anne's hand?"

"He did," she responded.