Ignazio L. informed me, "She had already appeared in an Italian story some years earlier (early 90's, or maybe late 80's), introduced as the great, life-long love of Scrooge (who is still deeply interested in her)."  Thanks for the info!

She first appeared in a story coded J-1746. Her name is Molly McGold.  As explained in the story, Scrooge met her while he was poor and selling chestnuts in Duckburg (which already had telephone wires). She was selling hand-made ladles.  They were both stingy but had feelings for each other.  Scrooge raised enough money to open a store selling mostly televisions, coats and wheelbarrows (an odd combination, but why not?)   She raised enough money to open a shop selling cloth[es?].  They both earned their first million the same day and built their money bins side by side. They flirted but never admited they were in love.

She tried to dry out the swamp near Duckburg and invested most of her money in that project--which failed, forcing her into bankruptcy.  She decided to move out of Duckburg to try to rebuild her empire.  Scrooge proposed, not wanting to lose her, but she refused.  Scrooge was depressed for years.  Thirty years later she had rebuilt her empire and its capital city was Gooseburg.  Scrooge tried to set things right for her to return to Duckburg and to him but she refused and returned his old love letters.  She said that she wanted to be single until she had a fortune equal to his.  Only then they can their love continue.

The second story featuring Hedda/Molly doesn't tell much more about her, just that she is a businesswoman who did business with Scrooge once, and had at least one romantic dinner with him.  Fiona Rapson interviewed her for her article on the women in Scrooge's life.