The Spanish Infanta Carlota Joaquina is promised to D. João VI at the age of 10. Forced to leave for Portugal, Carlota suffers a great disappointment when she meets her promised prince. With the death of D. José, Carlota Joaquina and D. João VI inherit the Portuguese crown. However, frightened by the French Revolution and the approach of Napoleon's army, they decide to flee to their colony: Brazil.
Nina, a typical woman of the big city, marries a powerful farmer and goes to live in the countryside of Minas Gerais. There, however, she is faced with a decomposing, decadent family who seems to dislike her.
After a chance encounter on the elevator, the lives of Mary Ann, a widowed English teacher, and Pedro, a recently divorced man, intersect against the hot backdrop of Rio de Janeiro.
