Brakes - soft pedal and ABS questions

[bcp]

Second half of my post is re ABS operation.

Car is a 10/1996 EUR spec build. OBD2 but with the round connector (so an early OBD2 car??).

There is an ABS light on the dash (on ignition, then goes out), and an ABS control unit in the engine bay under the battery.

There is NOT an ABS relay present.

When I brake hard to lock up/activate the ABS, there is a (presumably) ABS-like vibration through the pedal, however, the ABS light on the dash does not light up.

Is this normal ABS function?

And did some cars have ABS but no ABS relay?

TIA