Mairead has a crush on Aiden, but he doesn't realise this until she kisses him. Her mother wants answers, and Frankie has to question Aiden, who blames himself. Meanwhile, Niamh and Sean announce their engagement, and set about arranging the wedding. But Brendan is worried about his best man's speech, and Sean seems to be having second thoughts. Even Niamh is unsure: everything and everyone she knows are here in Ballykissangel, but she would rather leave and be with Sean. Liam and Donal, in a desperate attempt to find money for a wedding present, end up in the bookies. To their surprise they are lucky with the horses and before long they have raised the sum of two thousand pounds. An old man, who has been watching them proposes a game of cards. They play 'higher or lower' with the old man and have soon bet away all their money. That night, as they sit despondently at the bar of Fitzgerald's, Paul produces a parcel 'some old man' left for them. They open it to find a cut glass ornament