A small action can reveal a conflict - Paper 1

Read before answering

Original opening, 'The borrowed book': For three days I had kept the damaged book under my bed. The library smelled of wet wool and old paper. I said I was only returning a loan. When the librarian reached for it, I turned the cover so the tear faced upwards. Her hand paused above the desk. I began to explain. Analyse the character's choice using actions and pauses, not only a label such as 'kind'. An interpretation may be plausible without being certain.