Stupid ideas, but nontheless...
Was he throttling her to save her from something? ))))
Was there something about the way she looked that made him throttle her?
Did she owe something to him?
Was everything all right with the woman?
Мышка-Машка, he didn't want to save her from anything, he was VERY angry)
She was all right and she didn't owe anything to him. And, I think, nothing awful...