At the convent where the Countess of Santa Barbara has secluded herself, she meets an old acquaintance, D. Antónia, soul sister of Father Dinis, who tells the story of her mother, Anacleta the Healer, a woman who met only with tragedy after betraying her husband, Don Teotónio. Later in life, and with her better fortune, she herself is betrayed in turn by a cunning young lover. These events all lead to a tragic destiny for D. Antónia and her sisters...