He gave the wry, quick hiss of a laugh

Hi,
Here are some words from the novel Lady Chatterley's Lover（page 34, Chapter Three) by DH Lawrence
(background: Connie invited Michaelis to livingroom, and said he was like a lonely bird. Michaelis said it's very nice of her to think of him……）

"Why shouldn't I think of you?" she exclaimed, with hardly breath to utter it.

He gave the wry, quick hiss of a laugh.

"Oh, in that way!. . .May I hold your hand for a minute?" he asked suddenly, fixing his eyes on her with almost hypnotic power, and sending out an appeal that affected her direct in the womb.

I know wry means sardonic, hiss means haha, but why did Michaelis laugh at Connie please? I feel he should have be grateful to her, because she, as a lady, cared about him, and even had sex with him, which will be mentioned the subsequent paragraphs.
Thank you in advance

It may have been a short laugh and the words might suggest that he is not that interested in her. I haven't read the novel.

Oh. Thanks for your reply