I just finished Lost by Gregory Maguire at 3:30 this morning... why can't I sleep? and in the last few pages found a usage that seems to agree with your assessment, Shona.

"Winnie didn't like the class system of the ghostly world. No more than she liked these living rich rich people who smelled like attar of heirloom roses as they went swanning by."

It's a completely different usage than what we're talking about, but I find it very evocative!