“El Soto del Parral” is a farmhouse next to which the town people has to go by in their way to the chapel. Damián, a worker in the Soto, has sat down to rest and has fell asleep; Tío Sabino, on arrive, censures Damián’s laziness. Catalina, another worker in the farm and Damián’s girlfriend, arrives at the same time than Tío Prudencio, a villager with poet aspirations who wants to read to them his latest Romance, still in progress. The arrival of Aurora, the mistress of the house, breaks up the meeting. Aurora is married with Germán, who has shown reticence to communicate and has kept unusually for himself lately, to the point of rising Aurora’s concern. Aurora and Germán are buying the house from Miguel, the son of the former owner of the Soto, and they’re doing so with their work. Such was the will of Miguel’s father, and he’s happy to obey. Miguel stops by to visit and will stay in town for a while since he’s engaged to marry one of the town girls: Angelita. In a tense meeting with Miguel, and away from Aurora, Germán advices his friend not to marry Angelita. Miguel is suspicious of Germán’s intentions and runs to get a confirmation of some kind from his fiancée. Shortly after, the garrulous Tío Prudencio reads out loud a preview of his new Romance to Tío Sabino, where he infers Germán has actually gotten married with Aurora just for his own benefit and that he actually maintains a relationship with Angelita. Aurora hears the discussion the Romance creates, and she understands this relationship would explain the estrange shift in her husband’s nature. When Miguel comes back looking for reparation from Germán, Aurora stands in his way; but she confronts harshly her husband afterwards, and urges him to leave the Soto.
Three days later, on the eve of Catalina and Damián’s wedding, Aurora helps out with the preparations for the wedding. She confronts Tío Sabino, who insist she can´t be sure Germán is guilty of cheating on her just from his acceptance to leave the house on her demand. Miguel comes back on Aurora’s request, and she informs him she is giving the Soto back. Though she i0s willing to leave the farm, she is not completely sold on Germán’s infidelity nor on the truth behind Angelita’s accusations of improper behavior, and she have a vivid argument with Miguel about it.
Shortly after Miguel´s departure, Germán comes back. He reminds Tio Sabino the promise they made to the original owner of the farm: nobody is to know that Miguel’s father kept Angelita as his lover until his death. No matter what.
Germán and Aurora meet and, even when Germán can’t offer much explanations, they reconcile. But Tío Prudencio comes back with an alleged message from Angelita, making a date with Germán. Miguel comes back raging and tries to kill Germán, but Tío Sabino and the servants stop both of them. Some villagers arrive to offer a few presents for Damián and Catalina’s wedding, and they are concerned with the friend’s confrontation. That evening in the valley the wedding is taking place as Tío Sabino, distrustful, discusses the drama with Tío Prudencio, who intends to capture it in his poetry. Tío Sabino eventually worms the place of Germán and Angelita’s date out of Tío Prudencio and runs out over there. The bridal party arrives, and Tío Prudencio, imprudent as usual, lets Aurora know about Germán and Angelita’s date, and the fact that Miguel will catch them out. Aurora runs to look for Germán, but he comes across her. Miguel now knows about Angelita’s betrayal and Germán’s loyalty; he has overheard Angelita talking with Germán when she unwittingly gave up her full past. Germán is now release from his promise and can explain everything to Aurora. Happiness returns to the Soto, celebrating the wedding of Damián and Catalina with dance and general joy.
