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Catherine’s coworker and friend, Helen Ferguson is a caring and realistic woman. While Catherine and Henry seem caught up in the fantasy romance they’ve built, Ferguson is practical, both recognizing the need for escapism and understanding the potential consequences. At first, she supports Catherine and Henry’s relationship, leaving them time to be alone because she understands how much Catherine needs comfort. When she realizes that Catherine is taking night shifts to have sex with Henry, Ferguson doesn’t criticize them. Instead, she begs Henry to consider Catherine’s wellbeing. She doesn’t want Catherine to get caught or pregnant, either of which could be disastrous for her career and reputation. Ferguson’s emotional outburst when Henry arrives in Stresa further shows her pragmatism and caring. She criticizes Catherine for treating the pregnancy “as a joke” because Catherine doesn’t fully grasp the gravity of her pregnancy and the consequences it could have for her life. Catherine behaves as if she and Henry saying they’re married means the world will treat them as such. Catherine’s assumption that Ferguson must be jealous of her romance thus further highlights her unwillingness to accept the reality of her situation.
