John Buchan

“ I left the War Minister to cross-examine him, for I felt he would think it cheek in me to talk.
"We want you to tell us the places you know on the east coast where there are cliffs, and where several sets of steps run down to the beach."
He thought for a bit. "What kind of steps do you mean, sir? There are plenty of places with roads cut down through the cliffs, and most roads have a step or two in them. Or do you mean regular staircases—all steps, so to speak?" ”

“ But if it was a little port I couldn't see what the steps signified. There were no sets of staircases at any harbour that I had ever seen. It must be some place which a particular staircase identified, and where the tide was full at 10.17. On the whole it seemed to me that the place must be a bit of open coast. But the staircases kept puzzling me.
Then I went back to wider considerations. Whereabouts would a man be likely to leave for Germany, a man in a hurry who wanted a speedy and a secret passage? ”

“ The big chalk headland in Kent, close to Bradgate. It's got a lot of villas on the top,and some of the houses have staircases down to a private beach. It's a very high-toned sort of place, and the residents there like to keep by themselves. ”