So what if the person who needs to see the replies is not a member of the group?
?As in Y!Groups, there is a group option to allow non-subscribers to post messages. In Groups.io all such messages are moderated as an anti-spam precaution. In Y!Groups such messages were moderated if the group was set to either Moderated or New Member Moderated, but not if the group was Unmoderated.
But that whole line of argument is now moot, happily so for you.? ;-)?