In the privacy of Mistress's gardens, there was usually no reason to wear a veil. The Shah's guests rarely toured the gardens, unless it was by permission and escort of the Shah herself. In such an event, Malika would have heard their approach long before their arrival, and she would have vanished immediately to provide Mistress with the utmost privacy.
A lone guest, wandering by himself, was, however, unheard of...and, in fact, unheard, period, as the young woman in question contented herself with a moment of peaceful solitude among the brightly-colored blooms. She did not often find herself alone -- she enjoyed the company of others too much to wander alone -- but, now, surrounded by the fragrant plants and some of the wildlife here, she hardly felt alone at all.
Simone caught her as off-guard as she had caught him. The slave was leaning forward, bent slightly at the waist, with a few flowers clutched in her hands as she sampled the odors of the poppies growing at shoulder-height. His voice caused her to straighten with a soft gasp of surprise, brown-green eyes growing wide in alarm in spite of his kind voice and words. The flowers she had held scattered at her feet as she reached to cover her face with the veil hanging askance from its decorative bauble. The veil was drawn halfway across her face before she realized her mistake, and she let it fall back into place to reveal the blush across her cheeks.
"No," she bid softly, voice soft but melodious. It was a pretty, lyrical voice that seemed at home among the flowers. "Stay. The gardens are open to everyone who visits. I..." Oh, yes, her flowers! Kneeling, Malika began to collect them again. "I am collecting a few flowers for Mistress."