The writer Alberto, supported by his wife Elsa, is writing a novel centered on a common woman from Ciociaria, Cesira, during World War II. The story begins in Rome in 1943, where Cesira is having her teenage daughter Rosetta visit a doctor who, traumatized by the recent Allied bombing of the city, has shut down in total silence. The woman decides to take refuge in the native country of Sant'Eufemia together with her daughter to escape the air raids and the atrocities of the war.

Along the way, a truck with the secretary of the fascist militia follows Cesira and Rosetta and offers to escort them to Santa Eufemia. Less than an hour later they arrive in the village, where a warm welcome awaits them. Cesira agrees to pay 30,000 lire to his uncle to let them live in his house for six months. The final part of the La Ciociara trilogy.

While the train journey continues, the fascist realizes that Rosetta is spying for him. Having come to his senses, he goes to her compartment and begins to make obscene offers to her and her mother. Having received the resolute refusal of Cesira, he decides to take both women to the command of the fascist militia, that also carried out police functions for investigations. Continuation of La Ciociara 1 - Escape from Rome.