How about the word contingency. Here’s the second of two senses listed on Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary:

a.) An event (as an emergency) that may, but is not certain to occur

b.) Something liable to happen as an adjunct to or a result of something else

To be honest, I’m not familiar with sub-sense ‘b’, and while M-W seems to specify possible (but not certain) emergencies, I’ve found myself using ‘contingency’ to refer to minor

Also note that ‘contingency’ also refers to provisions made to address such (possible but not certain) events. Strangely, that sense is not mentioned on M-W, but is listed in the Oxford Dictionary (10th edition; page 307).

How about the word contingency. Here’s the second of two senses listed on Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary:

a.) An event (as an emergency) that may, but is not certain to occur

b.) Something liable to happen as an adjunct to or a result of something else

To be honest, I’m not familiar with sub-sense ‘b’, and while M-W seems to specify possible (but not certain) emergencies, I’ve found myself using ‘contingency’ to refer to minor

Also note that ‘contingency’ also refers to provisions made to address such (possible but not certain) events. Strangely, that sense is not mentioned on M-W, but is listed in the Oxford Dictionary (10th edition; page 307).

How about the word contingency. Here’s the second of two senses listed on Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary:

a.) An event (as an emergency) that may, but is not certain to occur

b.) Something liable to happen as an adjunct to or a result of something else

To be honest, I’m not familiar with sub-sense ‘b’, and while M-W seems to specify possible (but not certain) emergencies, I’ve found myself using ‘contingency’ to refer to minor

Also note that ‘contingency’ also refers to provisions made to address such (possible but not certain) events. Strangely, that sense is not mentioned on M-W, but is listed in the Oxford Dictionary (10th edition; page 307).

How about the word contingency. Here’s the second of two senses listed on Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary:

a.) An event (as an emergency) that may, but is not certain to occur

b.) Something liable to happen as an adjunct to or a result of something else

To be honest, I’m not familiar with sub-sense ‘b’, and while M-W seems to specify possible (but not certain) emergencies, I’ve found myself using ‘contingency’ to refer to minor

Also note that ‘contingency’ also refers to provisions made to address such (possible but not certain) events. Strangely, that sense is not mentioned on M-W, but is listed in the Oxford Dictionary (10th edition; page 307).

How about the word contingency. Here’s the second of two senses listed on Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary:

a.) An event (as an emergency) that may, but is not certain to occur

b.) Something liable to happen as an adjunct to or a result of something else

To be honest, I’m not familiar with sub-sense ‘b’, and while M-W seems to specify possible (but not certain) emergencies, I’ve found myself using ‘contingency’ to refer to minor

Also note that ‘contingency’ also refers to provisions made to address such (possible but not certain) events. Strangely, that sense is not mentioned on M-W, but is listed in the Oxford Dictionary (10th edition; page 307).

How about the word contingency. Here’s the second of two senses listed on Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary:

a.) An event (as an emergency) that may, but is not certain to occur

b.) Something liable to happen as an adjunct to or a result of something else

To be honest, I’m not familiar with sub-sense ‘b’, and while M-W seems to specify possible (but not certain) emergencies, I’ve found myself using ‘contingency’ to refer to minor

Also note that ‘contingency’ also refers to provisions made to address such (possible but not certain) events. Strangely, that sense is not mentioned on M-W, but is listed in the Oxford Dictionary (10th edition; page 307).

How about the word contingency. Here’s the second of two senses listed on Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary:

a.) An event (as an emergency) that may, but is not certain to occur

b.) Something liable to happen as an adjunct to or a result of something else

To be honest, I’m not familiar with sub-sense ‘b’, and while M-W seems to specify possible (but not certain) emergencies, I’ve found myself using ‘contingency’ to refer to minor

Also note that ‘contingency’ also refers to provisions made to address such (possible but not certain) events. Strangely, that sense is not mentioned on M-W, but is listed in the Oxford Dictionary (10th edition; page 307).

How about the word contingency. Here’s the second of two senses listed on Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary:

a.) An event (as an emergency) that may, but is not certain to occur

b.) Something liable to happen as an adjunct to or a result of something else

To be honest, I’m not familiar with sub-sense ‘b’, and while M-W seems to specify possible (but not certain) emergencies, I’ve found myself using ‘contingency’ to refer to minor

Also note that ‘contingency’ also refers to provisions made to address such (possible but not certain) events. Strangely, that sense is not mentioned on M-W, but is listed in the Oxford Dictionary (10th edition; page 307).

How about the word contingency. Here’s the second of two senses listed on Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary:

a.) An event (as an emergency) that may, but is not certain to occur

b.) Something liable to happen as an adjunct to or a result of something else

To be honest, I’m not familiar with sub-sense ‘b’, and while M-W seems to specify possible (but not certain) emergencies, I’ve found myself using ‘contingency’ to refer to minor

Also note that ‘contingency’ also refers to provisions made to address such (possible but not certain) events. Strangely, that sense is not mentioned on M-W, but is listed in the Oxford Dictionary (10th edition; page 307).

Are you an aspiring novelist? We have that much in common. What does hold mean?

By choosing the appropriate verb, you have an opportunity to reveal Mary’s emotional state in words and sentences. Do you care about your finger while reading a book? Is it painful to touch, and so she grips it or her hand clamps over it? If I learn from last example, I can pass on a phrasal verb for all others, also, if it’s more revealing and in line with my vision. Why is Mary holding her fingers? Is

‘hold’ not necessary when I make the sentence. What are the prepositions you have included in this sentence? Is there no need for either an on or a to in this case for the word ‘on’? Generally, you only need additional words to narrate your sentence. Do all three sentences actually mean the same thing?

If there’s some significance to Mary’s touching her finger (which there should be if you’ve thought to include it), then maybe you want to have that instance stand out later, which would be better achieved by breaking up the sentence?

Who was Mary? I believe the last part of her ‘held’ her finger and sighed, sinking back to her seat.

I wrote the sentence above, it seems you could consider bring the’sigh’ closer to the act of ‘holding’ her finger. The two are connected. If you include the fact that she sighed, you might not need a more specific word for ‘held’.