Problem with Frame in Calibre

[GuyBooth]

I am trying to show a letter at the bottom of a frame. To do this I have created a frame class ".lasssframe_1" with a blue background so it can be seen, and a class for the text inside it called ".lasss_0":
.lasssframe_1 {
background: #b0c4de;
height:3.3em;
display: block;
float: left;
overflow: hidden;
text-indent: 1.5em;
margin: 0;
padding: 0em .3em 0em .1em
}
.lasss_0 {
display: block;
font-size: 2.9em;
text-indent: 0;
margin: 14% 0 0 0;
}
The code in the html page looks like this (the lasss_18 class is simply text with no indentation):
<div class="lasssframe_1"><p class="lasss_0">D</p></div>
<p class="block_15">*</p>
<p class="lasss_18">o you want the clock?”</p>
<p class="lasss_18">I finally raised the subject, because one of us had

When I first created the classes and applied them, I thought it was working as I wanted. The big letter in the frame was cut off at the bottom as I wanted it to be (shown here in Screenshot 1) to demonstrate the problem.
Now I find in Calibre an inconsistency: If I force the class to recompile by removing and re-adding a semicolon, for example, it looks fine in the file preview. But if I return to the HTML page and click on the letter that is in the frame, the file preview page changes and the framed letter is no longer pushed down the way I want. This is shown in Screenshot 2.

I have two problems here:
1: It isn't behaving the way I want, or expect.
2: The file preview is behaving inconsistently.

In my Kobo, sadly it doesn't show in the mode I want.
Can anyone explain either or both of these so I can fix my problem?
I am new with Calibre, so forgive me if this is something obvious that a newbie doesn't understand.
Thanks
Guy

[hobnail]

Think like you're using html version 1. Things like float and overflow are either off the table or inconsistently implemented.

[ShellShock]

This question probably belongs in the ePub forum, where there have previously been a lot of discussion of dropped caps. As I recall, there is no easy way to implement them successfully for all e-readers. I don’t think I have ever seen them in any of the ePubs I have bought, I assume because the authors/publishers know better than to even try.

[Quoth]

1) There is no universal way to make it work.

2) Even on paper books it's a bit of design affectation of an old fashioned nature and reduces readability.