Of course Malcolm trusts the stablehands; he'd helped pick them out and hire them himself. (Not exclusively, of course, but he'd had a hand in it, same for the kennelmasters.) But he's had Charles for many years, broke him in personally same as he'd trained Milady from puphood. If he doesn't lend a personal touch to his steed any given day, it's because he's not in Kirkwall.

He can't blame anyone to sing while they work, and though he's fairly miserable at carrying a tune, he finds himself humming along as he brushes along Charles' coat.

"Do you plan to take yours out for a stroll?" he eventually asks, the implication of company being fairly clear.