I noticed that even gossip is around who should have married whom, and even over who should retire when. What is glaringlyn absent as seaside discussion is the state of Sir Walter's finance. He is renting his home to outsiders and taken up residence in Bath, yet no one is speculating about this. In Chapter one, we are told two people outside the family are aware of the circumstance:

"Their two confidential friends, Mr. Shepherd, who lived in the neighbouring market town, and Lady Russell, were called on to advise them; and both father and daughter seemed to expect that something should be struck out by one or the other to remove their embarrassments and reduce their expenditure, without involving the loss of any indulgence of taste or pride."

This leads me to consider whether status is as important as character in determining who gossips and who doesn't. Assuming that everyone has gossip at one time or another, status influences what is spoken in polite conversation.