Adjective : backstairs gossip.    From Dictionary.com. 

A servant's footfalls creaked on a distant backstair.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Silicon Mage]

I descended a stair corresponding with that backstair, as I am told, up which Madame had led me only the night before.    From Wordnik.com.  [Uncle Silas A Tale of Bartram-Haugh] Reference

I entered; it was a short passage about six feet long, leading perhaps to a backstair, but the door at the end was locked.    From Wordnik.com.  [Uncle Silas A Tale of Bartram-Haugh] Reference

It is these kitchen and backstair men who are to be encouraged, the men who know the subject in hand in all possible relationships.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Student Life] Reference

We went clapping up a clean stone backstair, and then into a back passage cheerfully decorated with ragged light-green Kidderminster, and issued upon.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Book of Snobs] Reference

Till the Plot comes up the Palace backstair, and gets possession of old Rowley's own imagination, I care not a farthing who believes or disbelieves.    From Wordnik.com.  [Peveril of the Peak] Reference

What have you, an ardent disciple of music, to do in such a land where favouritism and backstair influence win the day over even the merits of a Schubert?.    From Wordnik.com.  [A Romance of Two Worlds] Reference

To know, he will have us go in at the great door of obedient faith; and if anybody thinks he has found a backstair, he will find it land him at a doorless wall.    From Wordnik.com.  [Warlock o' Glenwarlock] Reference

King, and privy to his dangerous secrets -- exerted all his backstair influence to forward the promotion of Kerr, by whom he was, doubtless, repaid in some way or other.    From Wordnik.com.  [Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions — Volume 2] Reference

He had not appreciated that, from underlings and backstair politicians, an itinerant showman like Stetson and the only son of an American Croesus would receive very different treatment.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Red Cross Girl] Reference

We piled into one of the two questionable lifts and fortunately our place was only on the 5th floor .... we however had got into the lift that only went to the even floors, so number 6 it was and we trooped back down a rather dodgy backstair.    From Wordnik.com.  [TravelPod.com Recent Updates] Reference

Overbury, the king's secretary -- who appears, from some threats in his own letters, to have been no better than a pander to the vices of the king, and privy to his dangerous secrets -- exerted all his backstair influence to forward the promotion of Kerr, by whom he was doubtless repaid in some way or other.    From Wordnik.com.  [Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds] Reference

A short passage about six feet long, leading perhaps to a backstair, but the door at the end was locked.    From Wordnik.com.  [Uncle Silas] Reference

And John’s chances of success, and John’s stump oratory, and the backstair-work other people were expected to do for him would form the main theme of conversation for many a day to come.    From Wordnik.com.  [Australia Felix] Reference

I am so harassed by the backstair intrigues of my enemies, that it would be a relief to me to have something else to think of. ".    From Wordnik.com.  [In the Irish Brigade A Tale of War in Flanders and Spain] Reference

Till the Plot comes up the Palace backstair, and gets possession of old Rowley’s own imagination, I care not a farthing who believes or disbelieves.    From Wordnik.com.  [Peveril of the Peak] Reference

But there are sly meetings upon the backstair.    From Wordnik.com.  [Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 100, May 16, 1891] Reference