The quiet appointment

The hairdresser had offered me the first appointment of the day, when the other chairs would be empty. I was embarrassed by the uneven patch in my hair, but she let me raise the subject in my own time. She lowered her voice before asking whether I wanted the mirror covered. Nothing in her expression suggested surprise. I had arrived prepared to explain myself; instead, I found I could sit without doing so.

From the passage, select two words or phrases that show the hairdresser's sensitivity to the narrator's embarrassment.