In "America, 1537-1540", she relates to us her life in The Cuzco, the decadence of the Incan empire under Francisco Pizarro and the political problems that they faced.

Also, she begins her relationship with Pedro de Valdivia, who develops an obsession to conquer Chile, promoted by what was told to him by the old Diego of Almagro.

Allende shows Mrs. Inés as a woman with extreme courage, doing everything for the man she loves, but without shelving her purposes of honor and the anxieties to conquer new lands.

In the book, Isabel Allende gives the reader a glimpse of the hardships of the first conquistadores of the Realm of Chile and their constant mistreatment of the Mapuche people.

Other characters of the novel are Pedro of Valdivia, Rodrigo of Quiroga, Francisco of Aguirre, Juan of Málaga, Marina Ortiz of Gaete, Juan Gómez and his wife Cecilia, Catalina (a native servant and the best friend of the leading character) and Felipe (Lautaro), who at the beginning is a servant of Pedro of Valdivia but afterwards escapes with the Mapuche.