Seán Óg's pub is unusually packed on a Monday night as locals and outsiders alike crowd in to glimpse Cillian Rushborough, the Englishman claiming Ardnakelty heritage. Cal makes his way to the back alcove where Mart, Johnny Reddy, and the regulars have arranged a deliberately 'authentic' welcome, dressed in work clothes and steering Rushborough through a curated experience. Rushborough greets Cal smoothly, his pale eyes sizing him up; Johnny is visibly displeased by Cal's presence.

The men feed Rushborough local lore about the fairy mound on Mossie's land, telling stories of mysterious music and lights, while Rushborough responds with delighted credulity, offering to bring cream as an offering. A singsong follows, with Rushborough joining in on Irish ballads and knowing the local variant lyrics of 'Black Velvet Band.' Cal sings 'The House of the Rising Sun,' refusing to play tourist, which Johnny notices and resents.

At the bar, Mart confides to Cal that he's confirmed Rushborough genuinely has Ardnakelty roots—he knows too many specific local details to be a stranger's con. Mart speculates that Johnny may know something real about gold in the area, and that salting the river is likely insurance: anyone who contributes money becomes psychologically and legally compromised, unable to back out. Despite his suspicions, Mart intends to participate to keep the operation from being botched. A disgruntled local approaches, hinting he wants in on the scheme too, illustrating Mart's point that Johnny hasn't thought through who else will demand a share.

Late in the night, Rushborough produces his trump card: a silver ring set with a genuine gold nugget, which he claims his grandmother and Michael Duggan (Dessie's great-uncle) found as children digging in a local garden. He passes it around, transforming the abstract gold from rumor to tangible reality. The men are visibly captivated; the mood in the alcove shifts as their familiar land becomes a place of hidden treasure. Cal watches Johnny watching the others, and sees a flash of relief on Johnny's face—the ring was clearly his held-back ace. Mart quietly observes to Cal that things are going to get interesting, and reminds Cal that this is Johnny's enterprise; neither of them is responsible for what comes next.