Woman in charge asserts, imperiously, that some of them should be sent back (8)
I believe the answer is:
mistress
'woman' is the definition.
(I know that mistress is a type of woman)
'charge asserts imperiously that some of them should be sent back' is the wordplay.
'MISTRESS' is hidden backwards within the letters.
However, I am unsure how the hidden word is indicated.
'in' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for mistress that I've seen before include "Lady" , "Female teacher" , "she wears the trousers?" , "Female owner of a dog" , "Schoolteacher" .)