Talking of strong younger women--I think Carolyn did a wonderful job running the house in 1968 when Liz was confined to Wyndcliffe. Those scenes with Harry, in particular, are just priceless. Contrast how Carolyn dealt with Harry, with how intimidated she was by shifty, sexy original Willie Loomis in 1967, and it shows just how much she had grown up (of course, she DID pull a pistol on Willie, which showed just what grit that gal had).
Alexis Stokes (I mean the real Alexis) also seems to be a young woman with a decent head on her shoulders.
Gothick