The name in the register

An original fiction passage set in the nineteenth century.

Mr Ainsley turned the inn register towards Gabriel. “A gentleman called Rook has been asking whether Gabriel Vane lodges here.”

Gabriel allowed the newspaper to sink by no more than an inch. “Then he has mistaken his man,” he replied, smoothing the page across his knee. “Vane is not an uncommon name.” He asked whether the evening coach was expected on time and observed that the rain appeared to be easing. As he spoke, his thumb travelled repeatedly over the chipped rim of his cup until the skin beneath it whitened.

After Mr Ainsley left, Gabriel waited for the door to close before rising. He climbed the stairs at a measured pace, pausing at each landing as though interested in the faded prints upon the walls. Inside his room, he stood without lighting the candle. Footsteps crossed the passage and stopped outside.

Gabriel faced the mirror, arranged his mouth into a yawn and loosened his collar. When the knock came, his answer sounded almost bored.

Analyse how the writer uses language and structure to present Gabriel's efforts to keep his alarm hidden. Support your answer with references to the passage.