Forthright Ella

The arty lady fingered her long necklace and looked pained.
'There's nothing here that would stand up to a week's use.' proclaimed Ella forthrightly.  'Look at this object!' What is it anyway?'
'It's a hair-tidy,' quavered the arty lady.
'A hair tidy?' boomed Ella, much as Lady Bracknell declaimed: 'A handbag?'
'Who the hell ever uses a hair tidy? demanded Ella.
But her victim had fluttered away to attend a less difficult customer choosing joss-sticks, and Ella made her way home determined to look out the cane and fashion something really worthwhile.

~ Battles at Thrush Green, Miss Read