Ski, I agree with Sam and Raphael, it was pure loshon horah on that yenta’s part because she was NOT speaking to you directly she was voicing her opinion to someone else so it was not tochacha as a means to help you or correct you. So that is something she needs to work on “Guarding her tongue” as I said earlier.
As far as your friend is concerned. I am not going to agree that it was rechilus because if she was really a good friend I believe she was shocked and angered by the comment and told you out of disappointment and frustration. Had she taken a few minutes to think about how it would hurt you to hear that, she would have “guarded her own tongue” as well.