Contents of handbag has them horrified (6)
I believe the answer is:
aghast
'horrified' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'contents of handbag has them' is the wordplay.
'contents of' says the answer is hidden in the clue.
'AGHAST' is hidden within 'handbag has them'.
(Other definitions for aghast that I've seen before include "Filled with horror or shock" , "Amazed" , "Deeply dismayed" , "Horror-struck" , "Thunderstruck" .)