"Doctor! Doctor wait!" Donna panted, stumbling after the Time Lord and clutching her stomach.
"What's going on? What do you mean by evicted?" she asked breathlessly, swerving precariously around a corner, and she caught sight of the Doctor sprinting up ahead with his body streamlined and his head bent down.
"DOCTOR!" Donna pleaded, skidding to a halt and slumping down onto the base of a stone statue.
"No time to explain, Donna! I'll meet you back here in about 10 minutes, 15 minutes tops!" the Doctor shouted, and he disappeared up a flight of stairs.
"Well that's very nice, isn't it? Leaving a vulnerable young woman here, on her own, with no defence! Sure, you go ahead, I'll just sit here, don't you go minding me! Maybe I'm the crying woman you're looking for, did you think o' that?"
Donna bit her lip and folded her arms sulkily. "Well you better be back in 15 minutes, sunshine!" she added loudly.
A tapestry to the right of Donna suddenly ruffled, and a small, veiled woman wearing a sleek black dress appeared from behind the cloth. At first she looked the other way, but then she turned and looked down at Donna as if she knew she'd be there.
"Ah, the companion," the woman said sluggishly, and Donna realised the face concealed behind the veil must be that of Anne Boleyn's. "Weren't you due to have your head cut off at this hour?"
Donna got quickly to her feet and rubbed her arms awkwardly. "No, you must be thinking of somebody else," she said innocently, backing away from the Queen and smiling falsely.
"No, no I don't think so," Anne said slowly, lifting the hem of her dress and walking forwards. Donna continued to edge backwards, small beads of sweat oozing down her forehead now.
"You have gone against the wishes of the King himself, and that in itself is treason," Anne said calmly, although there was now blatant venom in her voice. Donna was finally cornered. She found herself trapped in an alcove in the wall, and there was no way out, no means of escape. Anne Boleyn's shady figure was barring the only exit.
Swiftly, the Queen of England drew back the veil that was covering her face and laid cold, black eyes on her captive, who was now squirming in a corner.
"Please, please don't do this…don't tell him I'm here," Donna said desperately. "He'll kill me! He'll kill me!"
Anne merely smiled. "And why should I care about that? The King can do whatever the King likes…and this is what the King will want.."
Her coal-black eyes flashed maliciously.
"You know what, fine! Go on then, grass me in! Because you know what? I don't care! Go on! The textbooks always did say you were an evil old hag inside!" Donna said angrily, trying to buy some time.
Anne hesitated. "Oh, sweet child, you must be mistaken. I wasn't going to do that!"
Donna blew hair out of her face and shook her shoulders awkwardly. "Oh, you, err, you weren't? Well there you go then…."
"Good heavens child, no!" Anne said sweetly, and she raised a single pale finger. "I was going to do this."
And from the tip of her finger spiralled a line of blazing, hot fire.
The Doctor had scaled three levels of the palace. He was now on his way towards the fourth. The crying sounds were becoming louder and more distinct, and the Time Lord was sure he was getting closer……
But he didn't need to go much further.