Esmeralda

Landowner Rodolfo Peñalver insists in bringing his pregnant wife Blanca to his hacienda. Blanca`s pregnancy is high-risk since she`s had previous miscarriages and is recovering from the measles. During a stormy night, Blanca goes into labor. When the local doctor can`t be found, midwife Dominga is called and together with servant, Chana, they deliver a dead baby girl. Gazing at the unconscious Blanca, Dominga comments how unfair life is since she`s just delivered a healthy baby boy to a poor widow who has died in childbirth. Chana comes up with the idea of passing the little orphan as Blanca`s baby. After the deed is done, Chana gives Dominga Blanca`s set of emerald earrings as payment for her silence. Although Rodolfo is ecstatic with his bouncing son, Chana can`t help but tell her mistress the truth. Blanca is distraught to know her daughter is dead, but goes along with the pretense since she`s grown fond of the new baby.